Eunice Dwumfour, a 30-year-old New Jersey councilwoman serving in her first term, was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds Wednesday night.
Dwumfour, a Sayreville, NJ resident, also worked as a business analyst and part-time EMT.
According to authorities, reports of a shooting were received at 7:22pm, and officers subsequently “found Ms. Dwumfour in her car with multiple gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.”
Although no official motive has been determined as of yet, police do believe that the Republican Councilwoman “was the intended target of the shooting…They think her car traveled about 100 feet before slamming into two parked cars.” To date, no arrests have been made in connection with this matter; but Middlesex County and Sayreville Police officials are both investigating.
Sayreville is located in central New Jersey, and last November Dwumfour had been elected to a three-year term to serve on the six-member borough council.
During her campaign, Dwumfour issued appeals to the public to support her candidacy, “Like you, Sayreville is my home, I love and cherish this town and it is my desire to help improve the lives of its residents…In the past few years, we have seen many changes including a worldwide pandemic, but despite all, Sayreville still stands strong because of residents like you…I am fully dedicated to building a better, stronger Sayreville, and with your support, we can create a brighter future for our wonderful town.”
Dwumfour’s loss will be deeply felt by the community and her family. What is being called an act of “senseless violence” leaves behind Dwumfour’s preteen daughter and husband who she had recently wed just last Thanksgiving.
When Victoria Kilpatrick, Mayor of Sayreville, who worked closely with Dwumfour on the council heard the news, she was “shocked and saddened…[that 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…On a personal note, I can’t adequately express my feeling of sorrow at the loss of a friend.”
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy echoed the Mayor’s sentiments and was “stunned” after hearing the news; he had no recollection of a politician currently serving in office had becoming a victim of a fatal shooting. “Her career of public service was just beginning,” Murphy said, “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…I send my condolences to Councilwoman Dwumfour’s family and friends, her governing body colleagues, and the entire Sayreville community.”
The investigation is active and ongoing. Authorities ask that anyone with information or surveillance footage call Detective Rebecca Morales of the Sayreville Police Department at 732-727-4444 or Detective Michelle Coppola of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office 732-745-3477
