New Jersey

Loved Ones Mourn 2 Slain Teens in Camden

A 17-year-old boy and a 19-year-old woman, identified as Shirleen Caban, were both pronounced dead shortly before 1 a.m.

Friends and family are mourning two teens who were shot and killed in Camden, New Jersey.

Camden County Police responded to the 2900 block of Pierce Street around 12:30 a.m. Sunday. When they arrived they found Sincere Howard, 17, unresponsive on the ground outside a silver sedan. They also found Shirleen Caban, 19, and an 18-year-old girl unresponsive inside the vehicle.

All three victims were taken to the hospital.

Howard and Caban, both from Camden, were pronounced dead shortly before 1 a.m.

The third victim, who is from from Sewell, New Jersey, survived and is receiving treatment. Police have not yet revealed her condition.

No arrests have been made and police haven’t released details on any suspects.

Sunday afternoon, friends of the victims created a memorial near the scene of the shooting.

"It's bad that we got to gather around in these circumstances, but we've got to lift it up for them," Chalia Cruz, who helped created the memorial, told NBC10.

Howard attended Woodrow Wilson High School where he played basketball.

"Sincere's passing is tragic, and we join his classmates, teammates, coaches, teachers and loved ones in mourning his loss," Camden City School District Superintendent Katrina McCombs said. 

"I felt like my heart ripped out my chest," Cruz said. "Sincere was like a little brother to me. I didn't want to believe it."

Friends of the victims told NBC10 Howard and Caban often hung out at the park. They're relying on each other to cope with their loss.

"I think that everybody won't think they're alone in this," Cruz said. "We all feel the same pain. So we're all going to go through this pain together."

If you have any information on the shooting, please call Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Lee Hopkins at (856) 225-8623 or Camden County Police Detective Colin O’Sullivan at (856) 757-7420. You can also email ccpotips@ccprosecutor.org.

Sincere Howard Shirleen Caban
Top Right: Sincere Howard. Bottom Right: Shirleen Caban. See full-sized image.
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