The city of Trenton is entrenched in a deadly crime wave, as at least four people were shot and wounded Tuesday afternoon, just hours after embattled Mayor Tony Mack announced that an anti-crime initiative is on the way.
According to reports, four people were gunned down in the city just after 5 p.m. Details about the shooting are sketchy, but preliminary reports indicate that one victim was in serious condition and shot multiple times. Three other victims were hospitalized, but the injuries appeared to be non-life-threatening, according to various reports. The incident is the latest in a wave of violence plaguing Trenton, as the city notched its 23rd homicide of the year Monday evening when a teen was found dead in a car.
On Tuesday morning on a local radio talk show, Mack said his office is in the process of implementing an initiative that will increase police presence in various parts of the crime-plagued city. Mack, who was arrested earlier this year and is under investigation by federal agents for corruption, said curbing crime in the city is crucial. “Next week, we’ll unveil something that would at least offer an additional presence in our communities,” he said.
Mack was mum about whether the plan called for the rehiring of laid-off police officers. He also dismissed specific questions regarding his friendship with convicted felon and former mob boss Joseph “JoJo” Giorgianni, who is under criminal indictment with Mack.
Some Trentonians seem unfazed by Mack’s promise. “This is just another attempt by the mayor to mislead the people of Trenton with false hope and broken promises,” said Tracey Syphax, a prominent Trenton businessman. Syphax was one of dozens of residents who attempted to have Mack removed from office in a failed recall effort late last year. As of Tuesday morning, there have been 23 murders this year in the city.