FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, NJ (Somerset County) – Three teens have been charged in a fatal shooting of a taxi driver in Franklin Township Thursday night, according to Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald.
On May 11, at around 9:56 p.m., police responded to 9-1-1 call reporting a shooting in the area of Rose Street and Sydney Place, McDonald said.
Responding Officers encountered an adult male taxi driver, later identified as Kofi Addo, 57, of North Brunswick, suffering from a gunshot wound, McDonald said.
The taxi had come to rest after crashing into a parked vehicle which was in a driveway of a residence on Sydney Place, McDonald said.
Police along with Emergency Medical Personnel from an area Trauma Center responded to the scene and performed life saving measures on Addo. He was then transported to an area Trauma Center where he was pronounced dead, McDonald said.
On Sunday, May 14, the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner performed a post-mortem examination and determined the cause of death as gunshot wound to the head and manner of death as homicide.
A preliminary investigation revealed that Addo, while operating a local taxi, responded to the area of Rose Street to pick up a fare. Upon arrival, he was confronted by the suspect(s) while inside the taxi and was subsequently shot, McDonald said.
Investigators assigned to the investigation identified a 14-year-old boy and two 13-year-old boys as being involved in the robbery and homicide shooting of Addo, McDonald said.
The investigation revealed that the juveniles intended to rob Addo when one of the juveniles fired a shot killing him while he was operating the taxi. Following the shooting the juveniles fled from the area on foot, McDonald said.
On Friday, May 12, all three male juveniles were located by authorities assigned to the investigation. Two juveniles were in Franklin Township and the third juvenile was in New Brunswick. The juveniles were transported to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office where they were subsequently charged, McDonald said.
The 14-year-old Somerset boy and the 13-year-old New Brunswick boy were each charged with first-degree murder, first-degree felony murder, first-degree conspiracy to commit murder, first-degree robbery, second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and fourth- degree possession of a firearm by a minor.
The 13-year-old Somerset boy was charged with first-degree robbery and second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery.
All three juveniles were transported on Friday evening to the Middlesex County Youth detention center awaiting a court appearance.
Prosecutor McDonald commended all the law enforcement agencies that assisted the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office and the Franklin Township Police Department in this investigation to include the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Middlesex County SWAT team, the New Brunswick Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Franklin Resident Office.
Anyone with information relating to this homicide to contact the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-231-7100 or the Franklin Township Police Department at 732-873-5533 or via the STOPit app. The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos. STOPit can be downloaded to your smart phone for free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ. Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports, and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.
