Trenton father protecting his children allegedly killed by child (LA PARKER COLUMN)

The carjacking murder of Yony Emmanuel Cruz-Rodriguez took another horrific turn when a juvenile was arrested for the despicable act.

Mercer County police officials announced the arrest of a 17-year-old Lawrence Twp. youth on suspicion of involvement in the shooting and attempted carjacking that left a young father dead while trying to protect his children.

According to police, the teenager is charged with murder, auto theft, aggravated assault and related offenses following the July 12 incident, which occurred in the area of ​​Garfield Avenue and Farragut Avenue.

Cruz-Rodriguez died while trying to protect his children, who were buckled into the back seat during the carjacking. The father was unloading items from the back of his vehicle when the teen jumped into the driver’s seat and sped away. Cruz-Rodriguez was trying to climb into the back of the vehicle when the teen allegedly shot him. The suspected killer crashed, rolled over and fled.

Luckily both children were unharmed, but imagine what an experience they went through. And now think of all the suffering this family will have to endure for the rest of their lives. Daddy will never be able to be a grandpa again.

To be honest, I didn’t expect this killer to be 17 years old, and you can’t conclude that a crime has been committed until the investigation is complete. The press release sounded a bit ambiguous, especially the part about the teenager’s “suspected involvement.”

Still, this murder underscored that the capital is overrun by guns, violence and criminals. While New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin is trying to revoke the licenses of four bars owned by Gerald Araya, who was recently charged with sexual assault and kidnapping, several bars and businesses have the infamous reputation of harboring illegal activity. And the gun-toting? Car thieves? Fearmongers I don’t give a damn about wait in the shadows for residents to turn around for even a split second.

Prior to the Cruz-Rodriguez incident, the Mercer County and Trenton law departments investigated the shooting death of 47-year-old Luis Torres Marrero. The July 9 shooting occurred in the 200 block of East Hanover St., when police found the victim with a gunshot wound to the head. Marrero actually died five days after being admitted to Capital Health Regional Medical Center.

Police charged a 15-year-old with second-degree murder and unlawful possession of a weapon. The alleged attacker had fled to Norfolk, Virginia. Members of the US Marshals Service arrested the teenager without incident on July 24.

In both murders, authorities did not identify the suspected killers because they were minors. Some news outlets make a similar decision because naming minors can stigmatize them for the rest of their lives because they made an error of judgment in their childhood. These suspected murders are far more serious crimes than shoplifting or burglary.

Identifying these two teenagers will not bring back their victims, but this dysfunctional society is losing its understanding of the problems associated with killing people.

Victims must be more important than people who commit heinous crimes. Be honest. Admit that part of you wants to know the families connected to the alleged killers, just to ask: What went wrong? How could this happen? What did you not do?

Amazingly, I keep thinking about the murder of Cruz and Rodriguez. Such a senseless act that leaves a wife and mother alone with a single question.

“Where is Dad?”.

LA Parker is a columnist for the Trentonian. Find him on Twitter at @LAParker6 or by email at [email protected].

Originally published: August 3, 2024 at 3:49 pm