A homeless man in New Jersey and Pennsylvania went on a crime spree on Saturday. He shot and killed three of his relatives and stole two cars. Now, he is facing many charges in both states.
Andre Gordon Jr., who is 26 years old, has been accused of murder and other crimes in Pennsylvania. He has also been charged with carjacking and weapons offenses in New Jersey following his violent rampage on Saturday.
Gordon killed his stepmother Karen Gordon, who was 52 years old, his sister Kera Gordon, who was 13 years old, and Taylor Daniel, the mother of his two children, according to officials.
The violence started when a mentally unstable person reportedly took a car without permission in Trenton, New Jersey, and drove it to Falls Township, Pennsylvania. There, they entered a home carrying a type of assault rifle called an AR-15 and tragically killed two of their relatives. According to Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn, three other family members managed to avoid Gordon by hiding.
Gordon is accused of entering a second home in Levittown with the intention of killing Daniel, while their children were present. He attacked her mother with a weapon, causing her to be hospitalized for injuries.
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Then, he is accused of stealing a car from a stranger in a parking lot at a Dollar General store in Morrisville and driving it back to his home in Trenton. Police evacuated people from the residence and a SWAT team arrived for a long standoff to arrest him, according to the authorities. Gordon managed to evade the authorities and was arrested at around 5 p.m. while walking down a street a few blocks away. He was not carrying any weapons.
Gordon in Bucks County was charged with three counts of first- and second-degree murder, aggravated assault, robbery, and other related crimes, according to court documents. According to state Attorney General Matthew Platkin, he was charged with first-degree carjacking and weapons offenses in New Jersey.
“The recent series of violent acts is another example of how illegal guns and assault rifles can give power to someone who is upset and disturbed,” Platkin said. “We will make sure the victims get justice and the defendant is held responsible for his terrible actions.”
Officials said that due to the chaos, the St. Patrick’s Day parade had to be canceled. Additionally, an amusement park and some local businesses in Trenton had to be closed.
A shelter-in-place order was in effect for several hours in Bucks County. Platkin stated that the series of crimes caused fear and distress among the communities in Bucks and Mercer counties. Gordon is currently in jail at Mercer County Correction Center and will be sent to Pennsylvania at a later time. Officials have stated that there is currently no known reason or motive for the incident. It is not clear if Gordon has hired a lawyer yet.
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