SAYREVILLE, N.J. -- The FBI and police are investigating the apparent murder of a New Jersey councilwoman who was shot to death near her home in Sayreville.
Eunice Dwumfour, a Republican member of the Sayreville Borough Council, died Wednesday night after she was shot while sitting in her SUV, investigators said.
Dwumfour, 30, was first elected to office in 2021. She leaves behind a 12-year-old child.
Investigators have not yet identified a suspect or motive.
Anyone with information is asked to called Sayreville Police at 732-727-4444, or the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office at 732-745-3477.
Check this live blog for updates.
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Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour remembered at memorial service in Sayreville
Friends, family and political leaders gathered Wednesday to remember a New Jersey councilwoman who was gunned down in her SUV outside her home in Sayreville last week.
Inside Epic Church International, there was a tribute to Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour, a rising political star whose life was cut short at the age of 30.
Memorial set for this Wednesday
A memorial service will be held this week for Sayreville Borough Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour.
It's set for 6 p.m. Wednesday at Epic Church International on Main Street Ext. in Sayreville.
A post on the borough's website says the mayor and council "invite all to attend."
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Memorial service planned
A memorial service is planned to honor Eunice Dwumfour.
It will take place Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Epic Church International in Sayreville.
FBI joins search for answers
Friday, the FBI joined the search for answers in the death of Eunace Dwumfour, the 30-year-old New Jersey councilwoman who was shot to death in Sayreville.
Investigators from the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office combed the woods behind the La Mur complex for clues.
Meanwhile, Dwumfour's friends told CBS2 one of the happiest days of her life was in December, when she married her husband Eze Kings in Nigeria.
Kings, a pastor in Nigeria, told CBS2 he's devastated.
Dwumfour was deeply religious. She served as director of Champions Royal Assembly Church in Newark, where she grew up.
"The church has been here for years prior to my becoming an employee here and I heard nothing but good things about her," said Ashlee Sullivan, the property manager at the building where the church rents space.
Sullivan said she got to know Dwumfour over the past year because she always dropped off the rent check.
"Very spirited, very faithful, very devout," said Sullivan.
Dwumfour was considered a rising star in the Republican party.
"Politically, she can go higher. She can climb the ladder high. But it's very unfortunate that her life had to be shortened," said Amos Martey, a family friend. "The family are very devastated."
Gov. Phil Murphy said Dwumfour's killing was not politically motivated.
FBI will assist police if necessary
The search continued Friday for the person who killed Eunice Dwomfour, a 30-year-old Sayreville councilwoman who was shot near her home on Wednesday.
Flags outside Sayreville Borough Hall flew at half-staff along with purple and black bunting above the entrance for the second straight day, serving as somber reminders of the tragedy.
"It's very rare in New Jersey, particularly in Sayreville, that an elected official is murdered," said John Wisniewski, a former New Jersey legislator.
Wisniewski knew Dwumfour well. Like others, he said she was a rising star in the Republican party.
"She was a vivacious young lady who took her faith and her community service very seriously," said Wisniewski. "She was beginning to get acclimated and to start to make her mark on the community, and we'll never get the opportunity to see what that full potential would have been."
According to detectives, Dwumfour was sitting in her SUV in a parking lot for townhomes around the block from her apartment in the Parlin section when she was shot.
Witnesses said they heard multiple gunshots, then Dwumfour's SUV rolled down a hill and into parked cars.
Police still have not determined a motive for Dwumfour's killing or made an arrest. The FBI said it will assist in the investigation if necessary.
"The FBI is aware of that incident and we are working with all of our partners in order to find out more about that incident," said Special Agent James E. Dennehy.
Gov. Phil Murphy, appearing Thursday on WNYC public radio, said Dwumfour's apparent murder was not politically motivated.
"It's just a shocking, shocking development," said Murphy. "So please keep her memory and her family and the community in Sayreville in your prayers."
Still no arrests in the case
Investigation into deadly shooting continues
Investigators searched through dumpsters and between trees for clues Thursday at a Middlesex County townhouse development where Sayreville Borough Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour was found dead hours earlier.
"Pop pop pop, they looked outside and they saw somebody running into the woods, which leads to the parkway," said neighbor Raymond Pizzano, who heard the gunshots Wednesday night.
Police said the 30-year-old politician was inside her SUV at La Mer townhomes, just around the block from her apartment, when shots rang out.
Dwumfour's vehicle rolled down the hill, hitting parked cars in its path.
"It was very loud. It was, like, back-to-back shots," neighbor Chyann Brown said.
Dwumfour, considered a rising star in the Republican party, was elected to office in 2021. Thursday, the flags outside Sayreville Borough Hall flew at half-staff with purple bunting adorning the entrance.
"It's just a shocking, shocking development, so please keep her memory and her family and the community in Sayreville in your prayers," Gov. Phil Murphy said.
In a statement, the mayor of Sayreville wrote of Dwumfour, "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."
Dwumfour was a pastor of her church and leaves behind a 12-year-old child.
"She was extremely sweet and soft-spoken and very religious and just very beautiful as a person. That smile had you at the door. Her smile had you at the door," friend Karen Bailey Bebert said.
Investigators said they do not have a suspect in custody and are still searching for a motive.
Gov. Phil Murphy calls murder shocking
Investigators were searching the woods at a townhome development where a rising star in New Jersey's Republican party was murdered on Wednesday.
Authorities said Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour was shot and killed inside her SUV just outside her home in the Parlin section of the borough.
Neighbors said they heard close to a dozen gunshots.
"Everyone heard it, everyone. It was very loud. It was, like, back-to-back shots," neighbor Chyann Brown said.
One neighbor shot video from his window on Samuel Circle at the La Mer townhome development.
"What I've heard from my neighbors is they actually seen the guy running towards the Garden State Parkway. He hopped a fence, apparently, and her car rolled down and hit two other cars," Brown said.
Purple bunting and flags were flying at half-staff at Sayreville Borough Hall to remember Dwumfour, who was elected to office in 2021.
"She was extremely sweet and soft-spoken and very religious and just very beautiful as a person. That smile had you at the door. Her smile had you at the door," friend Karen Bailey Bebert said.
Dwumfour was a mother of a 12-year-old. Her business profile says she was a director at the Churches for Champions Royal Assembly in Newark.
Gov. Phil Murphy called the murder shocking.
"Our broken hearts are in Sayreville, New Jersey, in Middlesex County, where, shockingly, a sitting councilwoman, Eunice Dwumfour was shot and killed in her automobile," he said.
"She was a sweet woman. The child was nice. I mean, it's a shock for me because I've been living here nine years and I'm involved in this community, and it is a great community. I mean, once you live here, you all become lifetime friends," neighbor Theresa Pizzano said.
Investigators said they still do not have a suspect or motive in this case.
Investigators search woods near Garden State Parkway
Investigators were searching a wooded area near the Garden State Parkway on Thursday for clues in the apparent murder of Sayreville Borough Councilmember Eunice Dwumfour.
A suspect was not in custody.
The councilwoman was found dead in her SUV after being shot several times near her home in the Parlin section on Wednesday night.
"It was very loud. It was like back-to-back shots," said neighbor Chyann Brown.
Witnesses told CBS2 it appeared to be targeted, but the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office has not released much information as they search for a suspect.
"Very disturbing, saddening and heartbreaking for her family. Our thoughts and our hearts and prayers go out to her family," said Karen Bailey Bebert, who worked on Dwumfour's campaign.
Dwumfour has a 12-year-old child and was a church pastor.
"She was just a sweet lady. That's all I can say. The most I can say is when we had an interaction on Halloween, she said she didn't celebrate the holiday, but she still gave my son a little toy," said Brown. "That was something that stuck with me because she didn't have to do that."
Community shaken by councilwoman's killing
The apparent murder of Sayreville Borough Councilmember Eunice Dwumfour has shaken the close-knit community.
Investigators are still trying to find a suspect and determine the motive.
"There was two sets of four shots ... and then they looked outside and they saw somebody running into the woods, which leads to the parkway," said neighbor Raymond Pizzano, who heard the gunshots Wednesday night.
Dwumfour was inside her car outside her home when she was shot and killed, according to investigators. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
"Where the bullet casings were, that was up the street. Where the car ended up was about a good 50 feet down and it crashed into the parked cars," said Pizzano.
Friends said Dwumfour accomplished so much in her 30 years.
"We are completely devastated as a committee and as a community at the loss of this young, vivacious life who had so many plans and dreams," said Karen Bailey Bebert, who worked on Dwumfour's campaign.
Dwumfour has a 12-year-old child and was a church pastor.
"She was extremely sweet and soft-spoken and very religious and just very beautiful as a person," said Bebert. "Her smile had you at the door."
Sayreville Mayor Victoria Kilpatrick expresses outrage at killing, sorrow over loss
Sayreville Mayor Victoria Killpatrick posted a statement to the Borough of Sayreville's website:
As a community, we are shocked and saddened at the loss of Eunice Dwumfour. Eunice was a dedicated member of our Borough Council who was truly committed to serve all of our resident. The fact that she was taken from us by a despicable criminal act makes this incident all the more horrifying.
As Mayor, I have worked very closely with Eunice in her time on the Borough Council. 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.
We are confident that our police department working collaboratively with the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office, will bring this fast-moving investigation to a quick and successful conclusion and look forward to the identification, arrest and successful prosecution of the person responsible.
May God bless the Dwumfour family at this sad time. The Mayor and Council of the Borough of Sayreville and the community we represent stand ready to assist them in any way possible.
Commissioner Mahish Chitnis: "Shocked, scared, and heartbroken"
Mahesh Chitnis, a member of the Sayreville Human Relations Commission posted his reaction to Facebook:
I am shocked, scared and heartbroken. Eunice Dwumfour, fellow Human Relations Commissioner (former), Sayreville councilwoman and a neighbor was killed 300 feet from my home this evening. She was shot while returning back home. She was a woman full of life. When she missed HRC meeting she used to ask me to put her on speaker phone so that she could participate. I was looking forward to meeting her tomorrow in our monthly meeting. We will miss her...
When a fellow commissioner messaged me, I couldn't believe that this can happen in my town. After almost 2 hours, I am still processing the news...
Her family is in my prayers. Eunice, rest in peace my friend...
Gov. Murphy "stunned" by news
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy released the following statement about Councilwoman Dwumfour's slaying:
"I am stunned by the news of Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour's murder last evening in an act of gun violence. 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. I send my condolences to Councilwoman Dwumfour's family and friends, her governing body colleagues, and the entire Sayreville community. Sayreville is a proud, tight-knit, and safe community and I know that it will come together, as it always has, in common purpose. The New Jersey State Police are supporting the ongoing investigation, and I urge anyone with information to contact either the Sayreville Police or the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office."
Authorities urge anyone with information or video to contact police
Authorities have released few details of the shooting.
They say only that Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour "sustained multiple gunshot wounds" when she was found dead in her car in Samuel Circle in Sayreville around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday night.
Anyone with any information about the shooting or surveillance video from the area of the shooting is asked to called Sayreville Police at 732-727-4444, or the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office at 732-745-3477.