An Allentown man died early Wednesday, Nov. 11, after being shot outside a convenience store in Trenton the previous night. A Camden man was arrested after a witness helped police track him to a nearby train station.
Anthony Harden, 41, was shot in the lower chest shortly before 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, in the 300 block of East State Street, according to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office. The shooting occurred outside the Six 10 convenience store, near the intersection of East State and North Stockton streets, a short distance from City Hall.
Harden was reportedly shot outside the store following a verbal argument inside the business. Authorities have not confirmed the circumstances leading up to the shooting or disclosed a possible motive.
According to reports, police encountered a chaotic scene when they arrived outside the convenience store, prompting additional officers to respond.
Harden was transported to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in extremely critical condition. He was pronounced dead at 1:35 a.m. Wednesday. Because of the severity of his injuries, detectives from the Mercer County Homicide Task Force were called in to assist the Trenton Police Department’s Shooting Response Team.
Following the shooting, a witness saw the suspected gunman, identified as Leon DeShields III, 43, of Camden, leave the scene and head toward the Trenton Train Station. The witness provided police with information that helped them locate DeShields near the River LINE light rail station.
Officers from the Trenton Police Department and NJ Transit Police took DeShields into custody. He was apprehended before he could board a train. Authorities said DeShields was carrying a .380-caliber handgun when he was arrested.
DeShields was initially charged with attempted murder and weapons offenses. The charges were filed before Harden died, and authorities had not announced whether they would be upgraded following his death. The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office said it would file a motion seeking to keep DeShields in custody pending trial.
News of Harden’s death prompted a tribute from a family member on social media. Joel Griffith, who identified Harden as his cousin in a Facebook post, recalled their childhood together and a recent encounter just weeks before the shooting.
“Although we weren’t super close as adults, I had just seen him a few weeks ago, never imagining it would be the last time,” Griffith wrote. He remembered Harden by the nickname “Junebug” and offered prayers for the family.
Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora also expressed condolences to Harden’s family in a statement following the shooting, which he said marked the city’s ninth homicide of 2026.
“No family should have to endure the heartbreak of losing someone they love to gun violence,” Gusciora said.
The mayor said Trenton has made significant progress in reducing violent crime, but the loss of nine lives this year remains unacceptable. “We cannot become accustomed to violence, and we cannot allow statistics to overshadow the human lives behind them,” he said.
Gusciora thanked the Trenton Police Department, Mercer County Homicide Task Force and other law enforcement agencies for their quick response and the arrest of a suspect. He said the city would continue its efforts to prevent violence and improve public safety.
The Mercer County Homicide Task Force is continuing the investigation under the direction of the prosecutor’s office. This has been ruled the ninth homicide in the City of Trenton this year.
