Authorities have identified the two people killed in a mass shooting at a weekend block party in Trenton as investigators continue searching for multiple gunmen who opened fire on a crowd of about 100 people, leaving eight others wounded.
The Mercer County Homicide Task Force and Trenton Police Department identified the victims Monday as Anthony Howlett, 42, and Tyasiah West, 33, both of Trenton.
Howlett and West are the seventh and eighth murder victims in Trenton for 2026.
Members of the community say the two people killed in a mass shooting in Trenton were just innocent bystanders to the gunfire.
Tyasiah West, a mother of three, and Anthony Howlett, known for his community work, were both killed in the shooting in Trenton.
Those who knew Howlett said he had worked to turn his own life around and help his community do the same.
Howlett, affectionately called “Yock” by many, was a devoted father celebrated for his contributions to the Trenton community. Just hours before his passing, locals had gathered to honor and recognize his impactful work.
“He was honored earlier that day for being an activist, for being a good person,” Perry Shaw of the Trenton Community Street Team said.
Eight other people were wounded in the shooting. Four have been treated and released, while three men, ages 23, 29 and 32, remained hospitalized in critical condition, according to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office. A 42-year-old woman remained hospitalized in stable condition.
Around 100 people were at a party on Locust Street when several people approached and started shooting into the crowd, according to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.
No arrests have been made.
The shooting occurred about 12:23 a.m. Sunday in the 100 block of Locust Street, where approximately 100 people had gathered for a block party.
Investigators said multiple suspects approached the party and began firing into the crowd.
“I just screamed,” said Arnissia Brown, who is a member of Moms Demand Action, a grassroots movement to protect people from gun violence. “That was my first reaction. Screaming, tears — why? What’s happening here? Where were the police?”
“He changed from a lifestyle that could’ve been his. He made a different choice and then died in that same manner when he tried so hard to get away from,” Brown said of Howlett.
Trenton patrol officers dispatched to a report of a shooting in progress found several wounded adults. In all, 10 people suffered gunshot wounds and were taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center by ambulance or private vehicle.
Howlett and West were pronounced dead.
The barrage of gunfire left a sprawling crime scene covering the entire 100 block of Locust Street. Investigators recovered more than 50 spent shell casings, and multiple vehicles were struck by gunfire, authorities said.
The Trenton Police Department’s Crime Scene Unit processed the scene. Officers from the Ewing Police Department also responded to assist with crowd control.
Detectives with the homicide task force are reviewing surveillance footage and trying to identify witnesses who may have information about the shooting.
Authorities have not identified the suspects or disclosed a possible motive.
Mercer County Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey urged anyone with information to contact Mercer County Homicide Task Force Detective Jennifer Eyster at 609-789-7346.
Investigators are particularly interested in cellphone video recorded immediately before or during the shooting. Tips and video can be submitted anonymously through the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office online tip system.
The prosecutor’s office said information submitted anonymously through the system remains anonymous unless the person providing the tip chooses to provide contact information.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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