Police chase in Trenton ends in crash, 6 officers injured

TRENTON, New Jersey (WPVI) -- A police pursuit in Trenton ended Wednesday with a crash involving a responding officer, a stolen car, and a minivan.

Six officers were injured and three remain in the hospital following the crash, the mayor said.

The Mercer County Prosecutor's Office stated that around 2 a.m., Trenton police officers were made aware of a social media post that showed a group of individuals with guns driving around the west district of the city looking for people to shoot, authorities said.

Officers spotted a stolen red Ford Focus around Parkside and Olden avenues and began to follow it.

During the pursuit, authorities said the suspects fired several shots at the officers, hitting the police vehicle, but not the officers. They said no officers opened fire.

The pursuit ended with a crash at North Clinton and North Olden.

The stolen car collided with a responding Trenton police SUV and a minivan.

An officer that approached the stolen car slipped in fluids from the crash and another officer was cut by glass that had been broken out.

Now, Trenton police officers Brandon Walker, Kevin Starkey and Orlando Santiago, and the other officers, are being called heroes, after they managed to arrest three suspects and recover the guns the suspects were using.

"The weapons seized today are three less, that can be used against our residents," said Mayor Reed Gusciora.

Police said a 16-year-old, 18-year-old Nasere Crews and 19-year-old Zaire Butler are charged with attempted murder and other related charges.

"At 2:16 in the morning what else could they have been looking for other than trouble and to create mischief and harm to residents of this city," said Trenton Police Director Sheilah Coley.

A FN PS90 sub-gun was recovered in the city in the area in front of 664 Olden Avenue. A Glock 26 9mm and an AR-15 pistol were recovered in the backseat of the stolen Ford Focus, and three spent 9mm casings were recovered in the front passenger seat floor board.

The Mercer County Homicide Task Force and the Mercer County Prosecutor's Serious Collision Response Team are investigating.

Police did not specify if the suspects were linked to a homicide.