Homeless man charged for slaughtering 3 family members in NJ, Pa. after nailbiting police standoff
The homeless man who fatally shot three relatives and carjacked two vehicles in a crime spree in New Jersey and Pennsylvania Saturday has been hit with a slew of charges in both states.
Andre Gordon Jr., 26, was charged with murder and other crimes in the Keystone State and he was charged with carjacking and weapons offenses in the Garden State after his violent rampage Saturday.
Gordon shot and killed his stepmother Karen Gordon, 52, sister Kera Gordon, 13, and the mother of his two kids, Taylor Daniel, officials said.
The violence began when the deranged gunman allegedly stole a car in Trenton, New Jersey, and drove it to Falls Township, Pennsylvania where he broke into a home toting an AR-15 type assault rifle and killing his two relatives.
Three other family members evaded Gordon by hiding, Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn said Saturday.
Gordon then allegedly broke into a second home in Levittown to kill Daniel, while their kids were home — and he bludgeoned her mother with his weapon, landing his kids’ grandmother in the hospital for injuries, the DA said.
He is then accused of carjacking a stranger in a Morrisville Dollar General parking lot and driving back to his Trenton home.
Law enforcement evacuated others from the residence and a SWAT team showed up for an hours-long showdown to arrest him, cops said.
But Gordon slipped passed authorities before the perimeter was sealed and was arrested around 5 p.m. as he walked down a street a few blocks away, unarmed.
In Bucks County, Gordon was charged with three counts of first- and second-degree murder, aggravated assault, robbery and related crimes, court documents show.
In New Jersey, he was charged with first-degree carjacking and weapons offenses, according to state Attorney General Matthew Platkin.
“The string of violent acts is the latest in a horrific litany of illustrations of how illegal guns and assault rifles can empower one aggrieved and disturbed actor,” Platkin said. “We will pursue justice for the victims and hold the defendant accountable for his reprehensible actions.”
The chaos forced officials to cancel the St. Patrick’s Day parade and to close an amusement park and some local businesses in Trenton, officials said.
In Bucks County, a shelter-in-place order was in effect for several hours.
Platkin said the crime spree “alarmed and terrorized communities in Bucks and Mercer counties.”
Gordon is currently behind bars in Mercer County Correction Center and will be extradited to Pennsylvania at a later date.
Authorities said there is no known motive.
It was not immediately known if Gordon had retained a lawyer.
With Post wires
