Topline
A gunman barricaded himself in a Trenton, New Jersey, residence with hostages Saturday morning after killing three people in a shooting spree in the Philadelphia suburb of Falls Township that prompted a shelter-in-place, according to local police.
Key Facts
Law enforcement officials in Bucks County have identified 26-year-old Andre Gordon as the suspect, alleging that Gordon shot and killed two people at a residence in the community of Levittown Saturday morning, and then shot and killed a third person at another residence before carjacking a Honda CRV and fleeing.
The Falls Township Police Department initially issued a shelter-in-place, but lifted it around 12:25 p.m., Lieutenant Chris Clark told the media in an email.
The stolen vehicle was found in Trenton at 11:38 a.m., and at 12:22 p.m., the Falls Township Police Department was informed that Gordon was barricaded in a Trenton residence with hostages.
CNN reported later that Trenton Police Detective Lt. Lisette Rios said “the residents have been successfully evacuated” from the home, but the suspect was still inside—Forbes has contacted the Trenton Police Department for comment.
Local officials said at a Saturday press conference that they believe Gordon, who police say was homeless and has ties to Trenton, had connections to the Trenton home where he was barricaded.
The shooting and resulting shelter-in-place led to the cancellation of a Bucks County St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and the nearby Middletown Township Police Department had initially asked the local mall to close, and reported that several other retail establishments had chosen to close.
What Happened?
Gordon had familial ties to all of the victims except for the carjacking victim, authorities said at a Saturday afternoon press conference. Just before 9 a.m., Gordon went to the Levittown home, where authorities say he allegedly shot and killed two of the residents, who Bucks County District Attorney Jen Schorn identified as Gordon’s 52-year-old stepmother, Karen Gordon, and his 13-year-old sister. Three other individuals were inside the home, including a minor, but they hid as Gordon searched for them and ultimately survived. At 9:01 a.m., he allegedly broke into a second home in Levittown, where he allegedly killed 25-year-old Taylor Daniel, who Schorn said was the mother of Gordon’s two children. Gordon also allegedly injured another person present in the house after striking them with the blunt end of the gun. Other individuals were present in that house during the shooting but were uninjured. At 9:13 a.m., Schorn said Gordon carjacked a 44-year-old man at gunpoint in Morrisville, Pennsylvania. The man was not injured, nor was he related to Gordon. Gordon was not seen again until Trenton authorities located the vehicle, and the standoff ensued.
What We Don’t Know
At a press conference Saturday, officials said they could not share any information about a potential motive. Falls Township Police Chief Nelson Whitney said Falls Township Police have had “minor contacts” with Gordon in the past, “but nothing that would indicate anything like this would happen.”
