James Austin was fatally shot inside a home on East State Street half a block from P.J. Hill Elementary School, police said.
In a May 2004 photo, then-Trenton police detective and New Jersey National Guardsman Luddie Austin shows photo of Iraq to his son James, who was 9-years-old at the time. James Austin was found shot to death today in Trenton.
TRENTON — The 18-year-old son of a retired Trenton police officer who appeared on a TV reality show was shot and killed following a personal dispute, police and a family member said yesterday.
James Austin was fatally shot inside a home on East State Street half a block from P.J. Hill Elementary School, police said. His father is retired Sgt. Luddie Austin, a 20-year police veteran who left the force in 2011.
Family member Carl Oliver said Luddie Austin is devastated by the death of his son, who was one of eight children. The younger Austin became a dad himself last year with the birth of twins and was working to support them, something that greatly pleased his father, Oliver said.
“Luddie was so proud of that. He was happy about that,” Oliver said.
From 2004 until he retired, Luddie Austin served on the U.S. Marshals NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force. He appeared as the central character in the A&E reality show “Manhunters: Fugitive Task Force” during episodes that took place in Trenton.
Police said James Austin was at the home on the 900 block of East State Street around 1:45 p.m. when he was shot by one or more assailants.
“We believe he was shot inside,” Lt. Steve Varn said.
Police arrived to find him wounded. He was rushed to Capital Health Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 2:14 p.m., Varn said.
Varn said he did not know whether Austin’s children were at the house at the time of the shooting, and police did not know how many suspects were involved. Several neighbors in the complex of townhomes said they did not hear any gunshots.
Parked outside the home was a car that neighbors said belonged to Austin, its rear windshield smashed, possibly in connection with the homicide. The killing is Trenton’s fifth homicide of the year.
Oliver said Luddie Austin went to police headquarters to talk with detectives yesterday afternoon but planned to stay out of the investigation. He was hit hard by the loss, Oliver said.
“He took it bad. He didn’t take it too good,” he said.
Austin’s Trenton police colleagues extended their sympathies last night.
“I offer my deepest condolences to retired Sgt. Luddie Austin and his family, and our prayers are with them,” said Sgt. Mark Kieffer, president of the Superior Officers Association.
Austin is an Iraq War veteran who served as an military police officer in Baghdad in 2004. He retired during the mass layoffs and demotions in Trenton in fall 2011, and now supervises the VFW Hall in Ewing as its commander, Oliver said. Oliver, who is also active in the VFW, said his sister is married to Luddie Austin’s uncle.
Oliver said he believed the residence where the shooting occurred was the home of the mother of James Austin’s children, and that Austin did not live there himself. He noted that Austin had just turned 18.
“He was a good kid, too,” Oliver said. “It’s real sad.”
Anyone with information on the homicide is asked to call police at (609) 989-4170 or the Confidential Tip Line at (609) 989-3663.
Trenton Crime-Stoppers can be reached at 278-TIPS (8477), online attrentoncrimestoppers.com or by texting information and keyword TCSTIPS to 274637. Text STOP to 274637 to cancel and text HELP to 274637 for assistance.
Contact Alex Zdan at azdan@njtimes.com or (609) 989-5705.
Earlier coverage:
• Trenton man dead after daytime shooting near elementary school