Violent weekend in Trenton leaves 3 dead, 3 hurt

TRENTON - August 4, 2013 (WPVI) -- Three people are dead and three other people are hurt following a rash of weekend violence in the city of Trenton.

At 11:14 p.m Saturday., police were called to the area of East State Street and Olden Avenue for the report of a shooting.

Arriving officers found 52-year-old Barry Church, believed to be an innocent bystander, shot in the underarm. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police also learned that an 18-year-old Trenton man reported to Capital Health with a gunshot wound to the leg/ankle area. Investigators believe this is connected to the same shooting.

As police investigated, officers responded to the 800 block of East State Street for the report of an accident involving pedestrians.

Surveillance video, obtained by Action News, captures a blue Chevrolet Blazer traveling down East State Street briefly before it crashed and flipped onto its side.

The Chevy struck multiple parked cars and two pedestrians.

Police sources say the driver - 22-year-old Hassan Allen - had just been shot a few blocks away at the earlier crime scene. He later died from his injuries.

Police say the Chevy struck two female pedestrians, 22 and 23 in age.

The 23-year-old victim is identified as Carmen Wright of Philadelphia.

Wright's mother says her daughter is fighting for her life.

"Just devastated, she's in critical condition, it's not going to be the same," she said.

Police say the impact catapulted the young woman into the air and she landed several feet away. Her cousin was not seriously hurt.

"The car came out of nowhere; had no headlights on," said Wright's mother.

Wright's mom says her daughter had multiple surgeries overnight for serious head and leg injuries. She doesn't know how she'll pay for her hospital stay.

"She doesn't have insurance but I want her to recover," she said.

Wright's mother says her daughter is a good girl who was spending time with family members in Trenton before she was hit and now her life is forever changed.

"It's a mom's worst nightmare. I never imagined I'd deal with something like this," she said.

Adding to the weekend violence, police say at approximately 8:15 a.m., a person arrived at Capital Health with stab wounds to the stomach area. That individual succumbed to their wounds at approximately 8:45 a.m.

Police tell Action News that the stabbing was not related.

The three homicides bring the city's total to 27 for the year, mostly a result of shootings. The city had 24 slayings in 2012.

Anyone with information on any of these incidents is asked to call Trenton Police at 609-989-3663 or by emailing tpdtips@trentonpolice.net.

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