Eunice K. Dwumfour, a 30-year-old councilwoman serving her first term in Sayreville, New Jersey, was fatally shot on Wednesday night, officials said.
According to NBC.com, officers with the Sayreville Police Department responded to reports of a shooting at 7:22 p.m. in Parlin, an unincorporated area of Sayreville. They found Dwumfour in her car with multiple gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The shooting occurred at Camelot at La Mer, a complex of apartment buildings and duplex homes. On Thursday, investigators searched a wooded hill near the parkway, which is accessible by foot from the neighborhood. Investigators were reaching into shrubbery and bushes near the shooting in what appeared to be a search for a weapon.
Victoria Kilpatrick, the mayor of Sayreville, said in a statement that “the fact that she was taken from us by a despicable criminal act makes this incident all the more horrifying.”
Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey said he was “stunned” by the “act of gun violence,” adding that Dwumfour “had already built a reputation as a committed member of the Borough Council who took her responsibility with the utmost diligence and seriousness.”
In a statement about her campaign on the Sayreville Republican Party’s website, Dwumfour said she loved and cherished Sayreville and wanted to help improve the lives of its residents. “I am fully dedicated to building a better, stronger Sayreville, and with your support, we can create a brighter future for our wonderful town,” she said.
Bob Hugin, New Jersey Republican State Committee chairman, said Dwumfour’s death is an act of “senseless violence.”
“We will remember Eunice for her steadfast dedication to the community, as well as her deep and abiding Christian faith. We have the utmost confidence that law enforcement will bring the perpetrators of this heartbreaking tragedy to justice. God Bless Councilwoman Dwumfour and her family,” Hugin added.