Suspect accused of killing family members in Bucks Co. faces charges in Pennsylvania and New Jersey

Police believe Andre Gordon, 26, killed 3 people in Falls Township, PA before fleeing to Trenton, NJ in a carjacked vehicle

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Sunday, March 17, 2024
Suspect in murder spree and hostage situation formally charged
Suspect in murder spree and hostage situation formally chargedThe suspect in a murder spree and hostage situation has been formally charged in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

BUCKS COUNTY, Pennsylvania -- The suspect accused of killing three family members in Bucks County will face charges in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

According to court documents, 26-year-old Andre Gordon is charged with three counts of first- and second-degree murder, aggravated assault, robbery and other charges in Pennsylvania.

He is also being charged with first-degree carjacking and weapons offenses in New Jersey, said State Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin in a statement on Sunday.

The 26-year-old suspect was captured on Saturday afternoon after being barricaded inside a home in New Jersey for several hours, according to police.

Authorities say Gordon was barricaded at a residence on the 100 block of Phillips Avenue in Trenton.

He was captured shortly before 5:30 p.m. at a separate location from the barricade, where he surrendered peacefully, according to Trenton police.

Steve Wilson, police director for the city of Trenton, said Gordon reportedly escaped the perimeter around the barricaded home before it was set up.

"He was at that house at one point, but before we were able to establish a perimeter, he slipped out," he explained.

"The suspect was actually walking on New York Avenue," Wilson said. "He was stopped and identified and taken into custody."

Wilson added that he did not believe the suspect was armed at the time he was captured. Police officers are still searching the home and the vehicle Gordon carjacked for the weapon used in Saturday's shooting, the mayor said.

"He was apprehended uninjured and without incident. He'll go to the Trenton Police Department for processing here," Wilson stated. "At some point, he will be extradited to Pennsylvania to answer for those charges over there, but he will be charged here as well."

Investigators previously stated that Gordon was holding hostages inside the barricaded home.

Just before 4:30 p.m., Detective Lieutenant Lisette Rios with the Trenton police confirmed that all residents inside the barricaded home and in neighboring houses were evacuated from the area without any injuries.

Timeline of Events

This map shows the locations of the two shootings and the carjacking in Bucks County, Pa. on Saturday morning.

The incident originally began in Trenton early Saturday morning when police say Gordon carjacked a woman and stole her car, which he then used to travel to Bucks County.

Around 8:52 a.m., Falls Township police officers were called to the unit block of Viewpoint Lane in Levittown for a reported shooting.

Police say that's where Gordon arrived in a stolen vehicle, and then shot and killed two people who lived there.

Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn identified those victims as Gordon's stepmother, 52-year-old Karen Gordon, and his 13-year-old sister Kera Gordon.

Three other people, including another 13-year-old, were inside the home at the time but were able to hide as Gordon was searching for them, Schorn said.

Then, around 9:01 a.m., police responded to the unit block of Edgewood Lane in Levittown, where Gordon allegedly shot and killed 25-year-old Tayor Daniel, with whom he has two children.

Both children were home during the incident, according to investigators.

Gordon then allegedly bludgeoned Daniel's mother with his assault rifle before fleeing.

At 9:13 a.m., police say Gordon carjacked the driver of a Honda CRV at gunpoint in the parking lot of the Dollar General store on Bristol Pike in Morrisville. The carjacked driver was not injured.

Chopper 6 was overhead after Honda was located in the 100 block of Miller Street in Trenton, New Jersey. Police vehicles could be seen parked nearby.

SUV that was carjacked after 3 homicides in Bucks County located in Trenton, New Jersey

Gordon is believed to be currently homeless and has ties to the Trenton area.

Officials said they couldn't yet speak to a motive for the attacks.

While Gordon had had some minor brushes with the law -- including traffic violations -- they were "nothing that would indicate that anything like this would happen," Falls Township Police Chief Nelson Whitney said at a news conference.

Falls Township police issued a shelter-in-place order on Saturday morning, but that has since been lifted.

Anyone with information regarding Gordon is asked to contact 911 or (215) 328-8501.

The shooting prompted officials to cancel the Bucks County St. Patrick's Day Parade. It had been set to start at Conwell-Egan High School on New Falls Road.

Nearby attraction Sesame Place was also closed.

The Oxford Valley Mall was closed for several hours amid the manhunt but has since reopened.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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