A Republican councilwoman was killed outside her New Jersey home on Wednesday.
Police arrived on the scene Wednesday night to find Eunice Dwumfour shot to death in her car. She had suffered multiple gunshot wounds.
Victoria Kilpatrick, the mayor of Sayreville, N.J., where Dwumfour served on the borough council, said she was “taken from us by a despicable criminal act.”
“Beyond her dedication to our community, I can share that she was a woman of deep faith and worked hard to integrate her strong Christian beliefs into her daily life as a person and a community leader,” the mayor said. “On a personal note, I can’t adequately express my feeling of sorrow at the loss of a friend.”
New Jersey governor Phil Murphy addressed reporters Thursday, noting that Dwumfour was the first political officeholder in the state in recent memory who had been shot and killed in office.
“I am stunned by the news of Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour’s murder last evening in an act of gun violence,” Murphy said. “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.”
Police did not provide updates about potential suspects or motive, ABC News reported. Detectives on the case have possession of Dwumfour’s phone and are searching for evidence that could help explain how the killing happened, sources told the outlet.
Sources also told ABC that Dwumfour had just stopped by her house and was about to leave again in her car when the assailant confronted her and shot her.
New Jersey Republican State Committee chairman Bob Hugin lamented the loss and mentioned he has full faith that authorities will get to the bottom of Dwumfour’s killing.
“We will remember Eunice for her steadfast dedication to the community, as well as her deep and abiding Christian faith,” Hugin said. “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.”