A 30-year-old New Jersey councilwoman was found shot dead outside of her home Wednesday, according to officials.
Eunice Dwumfour, a member of the Sayreville Borough Council, has been identified as the victim in the shooting. Dwumfour, a Republican, won her seat in November 2021 after defeating her Democratic opponent and was in the midst of serving her first three-year term.
Authorities said that Sayreville police received a call about shots fired around 7:30 p.m. and arrived on the scene at Samuel Circle in Sayreville. It was there that they found a woman in her car with multiple gunshot wounds. She was later pronounced dead at the scene. Officials said the investigation is still ongoing and so far, there are no reports of a motive or a potential suspect. A local community organizer shared video on Twitter of the vehicle being towed away by police.
Victoria Kilpatrick, the mayor of Sayreville, said in a statement that the community is “shocked and saddened” by Dwumfour’s death, calling the councilwoman a friend.
“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,” she said.
In a statement, Governor Phil Murphy said he was “stunned” by the news of Dwumfour’s death.
“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,” he said. “I send my condolences to Councilwoman Dwumfour’s family and friends, her governing body colleagues, and the entire Sayreville community.”
