In a Philadelphia suburb on Saturday, three people were shot and killed in two separate incidents. The suspect fled and is currently barricaded in a house in Trenton, New Jersey, according to police and local authorities.
Authorities reported that the suspect, identified as 26-year-old Andre Gordon, believed to be homeless, had taken a vehicle and then killed two individuals in a home in Levittown's Falls Township. The victims were his 52-year-old stepmother and 13-year-old sister.
As he searched for them, the suspect went through the house where three people managed to hide, said Bucks County district attorney Jennifer Schorn during a press briefing.
Following the initial shootings, the suspect proceeded to another nearby home where he fatally shot a woman, with whom he has children, and used his rifle butt to inflict injuries on the woman’s mother.
Afterward, he carjacked a Honda utility vehicle from a 44-year-old man in the parking lot of a nearby discount store before fleeing. Fortunately, the man was not harmed, according to Falls Township Sheriff Nelson Whitney.
Continuing on, the suspect drove to Trenton, New Jersey, where he is currently holed up in a house. Police officers have surrounded the area and are trying to establish contact with him.
Detective Lieutenant Lisette Rios from the Trenton police department stated that individuals who were inside the house at the time have been safely evacuated without any injuries.
Sheriff Nelson Whitney mentioned that the suspect is believed to be armed with an AR-15-style assault rifle, and authorities have described him as “extremely dangerous.”
Whitney added that due to the suspect crossing state lines, federal authorities such as the FBI are providing assistance in the case.
Residents in the vicinity of the initial shootings were advised to shelter in place, a directive that was lifted after three hours.
In December 2023, an American teenager was sentenced to life in prison for shooting dead four students at his Michigan high school, with the case drawing additional attention because his parents are also facing charges.
PUNCH Online reports that mass shooting is a rampant vice in the US with a recent multiple killings in Maine late last year where 22 lives were lost.
AFP
