Trenton teen’s take on violence in Trenton’s Art All Night
Growing up in the city of Trenton, I had some of my best childhood memories at the Roebling Market, home of the Roebling Wire Works. From attending the plaza’s Kids “R” First Preschool to playing in the local water fountain, as a child, I was sure to have a fantastic time at Roebling Market.
The area itself, filled with a multitude of local shoppers, always stood as a welcoming environment. Residents of the city, ranging from all ages, were sure to have a fantastic time there. Out of all the places in Trenton, I would have never thought that one of the city’s most traumatic events would have occurred there.
Stepping into the Roebling Wire Works on Wednesday, July 18, 2018, brought back chilling memories of an event that I had not even attended. Making my way through the rundown warehouse while staring at the vibrant “Art All Night” banner, I was somehow partially reliving the moments before such a beautiful event had been tragically ended on June 17, 2018.
As I looked around at my fellow scholars from the Princeton University Preparatory Program walking through the warehouse, I had imagined them as the attendees of Art All Night 2018. In the large space, I was able to envision the public making their way around the various artworks displayed, while chowing down meals from the food trucks as they shared laughter with their friends.
Visualizing the once-lively event made me question how one could have thought of or even dared to shatter it in an instant.
Having had close friends and teachers attend Art All Night, my worries were escalated when the news broke about the mass shooting that had occurred. I felt this intensity once more as I, along with the other PUPP students were presented with an art installation that depicted the aftermath of Art All Night.
There were random shoes of different colors, styles, and sizes spread out across the wooden floor. Bullet casings and crushed gold bells laid out on the ground were covered with clear plastic cups.
Tying together the installation and reviving the horrid night of June 17, were the appalling and insensitive social media comments about the lurid incident displayed throughout the piece. This recreation had mimicked that of the former uncanny crime scene.
Just a few feet away from the installation stood the exact spot, shielded by caution tape, where one of the suspects had been wounded.
Witnessing this re-enactment of the unfortunate aftermath of the Art All Night shooting, I began to experience a petrify-
ing feeling in which I felt I had been apart of the massacre.
Prior to visiting the Roebling Wire Works, I had seen multiple videos and read various articles that elaborated on the shooting. Despite the various reports covering the occurrence, my questions remained unanswered. I wanted to know details such as what caused the atmosphere of the event to change before shots were fired instead of useless details such as the color of the suspect’s shoes.
A majority of these questions I had the urge to ask were answered during my visit to the crime scene. The chief dispatcher of the Trenton Police Department told us about his experience being on the other side of the chaos. He explained that all the phones were ringing nonstop and that answering every call was nearly impossible.
Hearing about the situation from an authority figure made me aware of how disastrous this incident truly was.
Though I had thought that I had seen enough to understand the impact of the mass shooting, I soon found out that there was more to the story than my personal assumptions. Towards the end of our visit, artist and PUPP alum Bentrice Jusu presented all of us with a short documentary that she created commemorating citizens of the city whose lives were lost to gun violence.
Seeing the names, photos, and videos of young students who were included in the documentary and who I once knew was tremendously saddening. I had always known that the city of Trenton had a “gun problem.”
It wasn’t until this documentary showcased the deceased victims of gun violence that I recognized that the matter is worsening far more than I had ever imagined.
Collectively, this exclusive experience to learn about the Art All Night shooting was eye-opening. Having merely read articles and viewed videos about the incident was not enough to get the full picture of what happened.
This visit changed everything. It has taught me and other PUPP scholars the importance of the further exploration of media coverage and portrayal of issues such as this one.
Ultimately, the ability to slightly relive the agonizing occurrence has brought light to an issue that is ignored or disregarded far too often.