HAMILTON - A 17-year-old boy from Trenton was shot to death inside a township home hosting a 15-year-old's birthday party last night in a shooting that left four others wounded, the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office said.

Shakir Williams, who lived in Trenton's West Ward, was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene, according to the prosecutor's office. Williams' mother declined comment outside the family's Highland Avenue home this afternoon.



At least one shooter remains at large after authorities say he killed Williams inside the living room of the home on the 1100 block of Deutz Avenue. The four others shot were partygoers who were struck by rounds fired by the gunman.



"It's estimated there could have been as many as 100 people at the party," Mercer County First Assistant Prosecutor Angelo Onofri said.



Hamilton police were called to the home at 11:13 p.m. on a report of gunshots and arrived five minutes later. They quickly found a 17-year-old boy shot in the torso, arms, leg and groin, and he was rushed to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton. The 17-year-old was in critical but stable condition late this afternoon, Onofri said.

Shakir Williams

Two others, young men aged 17 and 18, were shot in the legs and treated at Capital Health. The fourth victim was struck in the calf, treated at St. Francis Medical Center, and released this morning.

It was not immediately clear how long it took police to find Williams' body inside the home. The officers' arrival came amid a rush by the partygoers outside, and a scene on the street one neighbor compared to a ballgame at a stadium letting out.

"It was chaos," Onofri said. "The officers had to clear everyone - they did not know if the shooter was or was not in their midst."

Among the officers' challenges was a "highly intoxicated" young woman who was handcuffed and taken to police headquarters, Onofri said. Neighbors reported seeing handcuffed young men on the sidewalk held at gunpoint by police.

Officers found Williams after they were able to get in the house.

"As they were clearing the house - that's when they found the body," Onofri said.

Paramedics attempted to revive Williams but were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Multiple suspects were questioned at police headquarters but no charges have been filed. Motive in the crime was not immediately clear, but Onofri said the shooter had been at the party for some time before he opened fire. Authorities are operating under the assumption there was only one gunman.

Prosecutors are mulling charges against the mother and stepfather of the 15-year-old girl in whose honor the party was held, as they were upstairs while the underage drinking party was being carried on below. The teen's 23-year-old brother was allegedly collecting $3 cover charges from boys and $2 from the girls, and may be criminally charges as well.

"We are going to examine the underage drinking, but the priority right now is finding the shooter," Onofri said.



Anyone with information on the crime should call Hamilton police at (609) 581-4043, or the anonymous tipline at (609) 581-4008.

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