That’s right, folks: here in the Big Apple (NEW YORK) Officials in New Jersey are calling the shooting death of a councilwoman outside her house “shocking” and “senseless.”
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy informed reporters on Thursday that Eunice Dwumfour was the first sitting elected official to be shot and killed in office in the state in recent memory.
Murphy expressed his shock at the shooting death of Sayreville councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour, saying, “I am astonished by the news of her murder yesterday evening.”
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To to the author: “Her career in public service was just getting started, and by all accounts she had already developed a reputation as a committed member of the Borough Council who took her responsibilities with the highest attention and seriousness.”
Dwumfour was reportedly shot while sitting in her white SUV on Wednesday night. She had been shot many times and was pronounced dead by authorities at the site.
Townhouse complex in which Dwumfour had been living at the time of her death. There was no instant information about the shooting’s motivation. The police have not commented on whether or not they have made an arrest.
Sayreville Human Relations Commissioner Mahesh Chitnis took to Facebook to mourn the loss of his neighbour, describing Dwumfour as having been “killed 300 feet from my home… On her way home, she was ambushed and shot. What a vibrant woman she was!
According to law enforcement authorities briefed on the inquiry, there does not appear to be a clear motivation for Dwumfour’s murder. However, ABC News has been told by sources that police have her phone and are looking into every element of her life, including her personal life, her career, and her religion, to determine what may have caused this.
Prosecutor for Middlesex County, Yolanda Ciccone, told ABC News that she does not believe the councilwoman’s political affiliation played a role in the murder.
From what we can piece together, Dwumfour had just dropped someone off at her townhouse and was on her way somewhere else when her attacker came up behind her on foot.
According to ABC News’s sources, it appears the two did not speak to one another.
More than ten rounds were heard by witnesses, according to further accounts.
In 2021, Dwumfour was voted to the council while also holding down the dual roles of business analyst and emergency medical technician.
They had only been married a short time, but she already had a 12-year-old daughter. Dwumfour was also well-respected in the Newark community for her role as a church leader.
Bob Hugin, chair of the New Jersey Republican State Committee, called Dwumfour’s death “senseless violence.”
“We will remember Eunice for her relentless service to the community and her deep and profound Christian faith,” Hugin added.
Law enforcement has our full faith and support, and we know they will find those responsible for this terrible tragedy and bring them to justice. My prayers are with Councilwoman Dwumfour and her loved ones.
