Day: January 1, 2022

After Nearly 95 Years, Mastoris in Bordentown Announces Permanent Closing

January 1, 2022

BORDENTOWN, NJ (BURLINGTON)–Mastoris restaurant that was founded in 1927 announced their permanent closing today on Facebook after operating for nearly 95 years. This was announced on their Facebook page earlier today:

It is with great sadness that we announce the permanent closing of Mastoris at 144 US-130, Bordentown, NJ.

As background, Mastoris Diner & Restaurant was sold in early 2020 to Foggia Restaurant Group, LLC, a group of local investors, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. The decision to close is, in part, due to the ongoing pandemic’s impact on the restaurant industry, as well as a strategic decision among investors with an eye toward the future of the bar/restaurant in its current location.

We know this news will be difficult to many in the community who considered Mastoris to be so much more than just their local diner; it was a place to gather with friends and neighbors, to visit your favorite server or bartender, share a meal with loved ones, celebrate life’s big moments, or bring home a cake for a family milestone celebration. Like us, we hope your memories at Mastoris will bring you much comfort in the days ahead.

We are so grateful to all of our wonderful employees, patrons, and friends for supporting us over these past years. The good people of Bordentown and the surrounding regions are amazing, and it has been our pleasure to serve you.

Please stay connected to this page to follow news and updates about the restaurant and bar as the business owners evaluate options for the future and consider the best path forward.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy #2022 and thank you again for your loyal patronage.




Trenton Man Arrested for New Year’s Eve Homicide

January 1, 2022

TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–A Trenton man has been arrested and charged for a shooting homicide that occurred on New Year’s Eve on Beakes Street, Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri reported.

Shannon Williams, 35, is charged with murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon and certain persons not to possess a weapon.  He was transported to the Mercer County Correction Center on Saturday pending a detention hearing.

The charges are the result of an investigation by the Mercer County Homicide Task Force and the Trenton Police Department.  At approximately 7 p.m. on Friday, December 31, 2021, Trenton police responded to the first block of Beakes Street on a report of a shooting in progress.  They located the victim, identified as Emanuel Ross, 47, of Trenton, lying on the sidewalk suffering from gunshot wounds to the head, back and face.  Ross was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

A canvass of the scene revealed three shell casings in the area the victim was located.  HTF detectives reviewed surveillance footage from Donnelly Homes and a suspect is seen pulling out a gun and firing three shots in the direction of the victim.  Detectives were able to identify the shooter as Williams.

Despite having been charged, every defendant is presumed innocent until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.





Photos and video by: Brian McCarthy, OnScene News



Names of 40, 2021 Trenton homicide victims: 

  1. 2/18/2021 Jabree Saunders, 26, from shooting on May 14, 2018
  2. 2/22/2021  Khalil Gibbs, 25, of West Windsor, shooting
  3. 2/25/2021  Lovelle Laramore, 60, of Trenton shooting
  4. 4/15/2021  Kaheem Carter, 22, of Trenton, shooting
  5. 4/20/2021  Shaquan McNeil, 25, of Trenton, shooting
  6. 4/24/2021  Cheryl Jones, 65, of Trenton, shooting
  7. 4/29/2021  Ramire Harvey, 25, of Trenton, shooting
  8. 5/15/2021  David Williams 36, of Trenton, shooting
  9. 5/29/2021  Edgar Geovani Sis-Luis, 34, of Trenton, aggravated manslaughter
  10. 7/05/2021  Dion Ellis, 16, Trenton, Shooting
  11. 7/14/2021  Pablo Herrera Chun, 53, Trenton, Shooting
  12. 7/19/2021  William Mitchell, 33, Trenton, Shooting
  13. 7/19/2021  Jermel Carter, 38, Trenton, Shooting
  14. 7/29/2021  Leonard Pettigrew, 58, Trenton, Shooting
  15. 7/30/2021  Shaquil Loftin, 23, Shooting, Trenton
  16. 8/01/2021  Daquan Basnight, 30, of Ewing, Shooting
  17. 8/13/2021  Javier Chaj-Ajtun, 33, of Trenton, Shooting
  18. 8/19/2021  Herberth Ramirez Pimentel, 37, of Trenton, Shooting
  19. 8/23/2021  Yanquai Edwards, 25, of Rancocas, NJ, Shooting
  20. 8/25/2021  Daron Cheston, 18, Trenton, Shooting
  21. 8/27/2021 Ziare Jones, Shooting
  22. 8/30/2021  Fred Davis, 43, Trenton, Shooting
  23. 9/06/2021  Shamiem Young, 26, Trenton, Shooting
  24. 9/17/2021  Jeff Charles, 37, Trenton, Shooting
  25. 9/25/2021  Shemiah Davis, 15, Trenton, Shooting
  26. 10/2/2021  Omar Burgess, 49, of Trenton, Shooting
  27. 10/3/2021  Elias Juarez Lopez, 31, of Princeton, Shooting
  28. 10/4/2021  Candice Ruff, 19, of Trenton, Shooting On September 25
  29. 10/7/2021  Douglas Munn, 50, of Trenton. Shooting
  30. 10/13/2021 Melvin Williams 26, of Trenton, Shooting
  31. 10/29/2021 Edwin Obdulio Gomez Interiano, 41, Shooting
  32. 10/29/2021 Everth Barrera, 56, of Ewing, Shooting
  33. 10/30/2021 Dartanian Ames of Lawrence, 41, Shooting
  34. 11/1/2021  Hector Torres, 43, of Trenton, Shooting on 10/31
  35. 11/17/2021 David Johnson, 39, of Trenton
  36. 12/11/2021 Michael Degrass of Trenton
  37. 12/18/2021Unidentified male, shot Garfield Ave
  38. 12/25/2021 Selvin Lima, Arson
  39. 12/25/2021 Dilman Canpos, Arson
  40. 12/31/2021 Emanuel Ross, 47, of Trenton

*Updated to reflect the person who died in 2021 from complications from a shooting on May 14, 2018 as per medical examiner report.

**As of 9:00 p.m. 12/31/ 2021


2021 Murders Reach All-Time High in Mercer County as Trenton Ties Prior Year’s Record

Murder Totals in Mercer County for 2021: Trenton: 40 Hamilton: 6 Ewing: 3

January 1, 2022

MERCER COUNTY, NJ –Murder Homicides in Mercer County have reached an all-time high of 49 for the year 2021. Other higher years in Mercer County were tied with 41 murders in 2013 and 2020.

Trenton ends 2021 with 40 murders with a tie of the all-time high set the prior year in 2020. Ewing Township reported 3 murders and Hamilton Township 6 murders in 2021.

None of the other municipalities in Mercer Conty have reported any murders for 2021





Mercer county Murders Per Year Since 1989

NJ State Police Uniform Crime Report available here: https://www.njsp.org/ucr/uniform-crime-reports.shtml

1989 = 26

1990 = 25

1991 = 10

1992 = 17

1993 = 19

1994 = 12

1995 = 20

1996 = 16

1997 = 14

1998 = 15

1999 = 10

2000 = 17

2001 = 18

2002 = 21

2003 = 16

2004 = 23

2005 = 34

2006 = 21

2007 = 26

2008 = 24

2009 = 18

2010 = 20

2011 = 25

2012 = 26

2013 = 41

2014 = 32

2015 = 20

2016 = 26

2017 = 27

2018 = 22

2019 = 20

2020 = 41

2021 = 49** As of 12/31/2021 at 9:00 p.m.


Trenton Murders Per Year Since 1989

NJ State Police Uniform Crime Report available here: https://www.njsp.org/ucr/uniform-crime-reports.shtml

1989 = 22

1990 = 21

1991 = 7

1992 = 16

1993 = 11

1994 = 9

1995 = 16

1996 = 14

1997 = 12

1998 = 15

1999 = 8

2000 = 14

2001 = 13

2002 = 19

2003 = 13

2004 = 18

2005 = 31

2006 = 18

2007 = 25

2008 = 19

2009 = 18

2010 = 15

2011 = 23

2012 = 24

2013 = 37

2014 = 32

2015 = 17

2016 = 21

2017 = 23

2018 = 16

2019 = 15

2020 = 40

2021 = 40** As of 12/31/2021 at 9:00 p.m.

  • Prior to 1989 the known highest murder number in Trenton, NJ was 1970 with 27

Names of 40 Trenton 2021** homicide victims with links to MidJersey.News stories:

  1. 2/18/2021 Jabree Saunders, 26, from shooting on May 14, 2018
  2. 2/22/2021  Khalil Gibbs, 25, of West Windsor, shooting
  3. 2/25/2021  Lovelle Laramore, 60, of Trenton shooting
  4. 4/15/2021  Kaheem Carter, 22, of Trenton, shooting
  5. 4/20/2021  Shaquan McNeil, 25, of Trenton, shooting
  6. 4/24/2021  Cheryl Jones, 65, of Trenton, shooting
  7. 4/29/2021  Ramire Harvey, 25, of Trenton, shooting
  8. 5/15/2021  David Williams 36, of Trenton, shooting
  9. 5/29/2021  Edgar Geovani Sis-Luis, 34, of Trenton, aggravated manslaughter
  10. 7/05/2021  Dion Ellis, 16, Trenton, Shooting
  11. 7/14/2021  Pablo Herrera Chun, 53, Trenton, Shooting
  12. 7/19/2021  William Mitchell, 33, Trenton, Shooting
  13. 7/19/2021  Jermel Carter, 38, Trenton, Shooting
  14. 7/29/2021  Leonard Pettigrew, 58, Trenton, Shooting
  15. 7/30/2021  Shaquil Loftin, 23, Shooting, Trenton
  16. 8/01/2021  Daquan Basnight, 30, of Ewing, Shooting
  17. 8/13/2021  Javier Chaj-Ajtun, 33, of Trenton, Shooting
  18. 8/19/2021  Herberth Ramirez Pimentel, 37, of Trenton, Shooting
  19. 8/23/2021  Yanquai Edwards, 25, of Rancocas, NJ, Shooting
  20. 8/25/2021  Daron Cheston, 18, Trenton, Shooting
  21. 8/27/2021 Ziare Jones, Shooting
  22. 8/30/2021  Fred Davis, 43, Trenton, Shooting
  23. 9/06/2021  Shamiem Young, 26, Trenton, Shooting
  24. 9/17/2021  Jeff Charles, 37, Trenton, Shooting
  25. 9/25/2021  Shemiah Davis, 15, Trenton, Shooting
  26. 10/2/2021  Omar Burgess, 49, of Trenton, Shooting
  27. 10/3/2021  Elias Juarez Lopez, 31, of Princeton, Shooting
  28. 10/4/2021  Candice Ruff, 19, of Trenton, Shooting On September 25
  29. 10/7/2021  Douglas Munn, 50, of Trenton. Shooting
  30. 10/13/2021 Melvin Williams 26, of Trenton, Shooting
  31. 10/29/2021 Edwin Obdulio Gomez Interiano, 41, Shooting
  32. 10/29/2021 Everth Barrera, 56, of Ewing, Shooting
  33. 10/30/2021 Dartanian Ames of Lawrence, 41, Shooting
  34. 11/1/2021  Hector Torres, 43, of Trenton, Shooting on 10/31
  35. 11/17/2021 David Johnson, 39, of Trenton
  36. 12/11/2021 Michael Degrass of Trenton
  37. 12/18/2021Unidentified male, shot Garfield Ave
  38. 12/25/2021 Selvin Lima, Arson
  39. 12/25/2021 Dilman Canpos, Arson
  40. 12/31/2021 Shooting Donnelly Homes

*Updated to reflect the person who died in 2021 from complications from a shooting on May 14, 2018 as per medical examiner report.

**As of 9:00 p.m. 12/31/ 2021


Hamilton Township 2021 homicides stories:







Ewing Township 2021 Homicide stories:








Reported Two Trapped in Vehicle Crash on West State Street in Trenton

January 1, 2022

TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–As Trenton firefighters were battling a house fire on West Hanover Street, additional units had to respond to the area of 640 West State Street for a multi-vehicle accident around 12:20 a.m. with two reported trapped. Also, there was a gunshot victim reported in the area of 777 West State Street at the same time.

Trenton EMS, Capital Health Paramedics, Trenton Police and Trenton firefighters responded to the scene of the accident. It was reported that two were removed from the vehicle and transported for their injuries. It was unclear the seriousness of the injuries or the amount of injuries.

For the reported gunshot victim, a block away on West State Street, it was unclear if a victim was found.



Photos and video by: Brian McCarthy

Trenton Firefighters Battle House Fire on West Hanover Street

January 1, 2022

TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–Trenton firefighters were dispatched to the 400 Block of West Hanover Street for a house fire with multiple 9-1-1 calls reporting the fire around 12:20 a.m. Engine 1 arrived within two minutes and reported heavy fire on the first floor and an “all hands” was called. Firefighters were able to knock down the bulk of the flames within a half hour. The fire was officially under control at 2:04 a.m. No further information is available at this time.

Photos and video by: Brian McCarthy