SAYREVILLE, New Jersey (WABC) — Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour, from Sayreville, was shot and killed in her car on Wednesday night.
Dwumfour, 30, was found inside her car with multiple gunshot wounds on Samuel Circle just before 7:30 p.m., officials said.
Police say they believe she was the intended target of the shooting, but do not have a clear motive.
Dwumfour was elected to the council in 2021. She was also a business analyst and part-time EMT.
Sayreville Mayor Victoria Kilpatrick said the entire community is shocked and saddened.
“Eunice was a dedicated member of our Borough Council who was truly committed to serve all of our residents. The fact that she was taken from us by a despicable criminal act makes this incident all the more horrifying,” Kilpatrick said. “As Mayor I have worked very closely with Eunice in her time on the Borough Council. Beyond her dedication to our community, I can share that she was a woman of deep faith and worked hard to integrate her strong Christian beliefs in to her daily life as a person and a community leader. On a personal note, I can’t adequately express my feeling of sorrow at the loss of a friend.”
Word of the killing spread quickly overnight through the political community in the state, which has some of the strictest gun laws in the country.
In December, Gov. Murphy signed legislation banning concealed carry in so-called sensitive places, in response to last year’s Supreme Court decision. It was immediately challenged by several rulings that chipped away at the state’s ability to enforce in certain locations. One was just handed down by a federal judge Monday.
Sayreville Police and Middlesex County officials are investigating the incident. No arrests have been made.
Gov. Phil Murphy released the following statement, saying he was stunned:
“I am stunned by the news of Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour’s murder last evening in an act of gun violence. Her career of public service was just beginning, and by all accounts she had already built a reputation as a committed member of the Borough Council who took her responsibility with the utmost diligence and seriousness. I send my condolences to Councilwoman Dwumfour’s family and friends, her governing body colleagues, and the entire Sayreville community. Sayreville is a proud, tight-knit, and safe community and I know that it will come together, as it always has, in common purpose. The New Jersey State Police are supporting the ongoing investigation, and I urge anyone with information to contact either the Sayreville Police or the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.”
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