Newly elected N.J. councilwoman fatally shot in her car outside her home

SAYREVILLE, N.J. (TCD) -- A 30-year-old "dedicated" and newly elected city councilwoman was shot and killed Wednesday evening in her car near her apartment.

On Feb. 1 at 7:22 p.m., the Sayreville Police Department received a shots fired call near Samuel Circle. When officers arrived at the scene, they reportedly found a female in her car who had suffered multiple gunshot wounds, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are investigating her death as a homicide.

The Sayreville Police Department identified the victim as Eunice Dwumfour. She was a councilwoman in the city and a "valued partner of the police department" as a public safety liaison.

In a statement, Sayreville Mayor Victoria Kilpatrick wrote, "Eunice was a dedicated member of our Borough Council who was truly committed to serve all of our residents. The fact that she was taken from us by a despicable criminal act makes this incident all the more horrifying."

Kilpatrick called her friend Dwumfour a "woman of deep faith" and said she "worked hard to integrate her strong Christian beliefs into her daily life as a person and a community leader."

The New York Times reports Dwumfour’s car crashed into two other vehicles at the bottom of a hill at her apartment complex, called Camelot at La Mer.

Dwumfour only recently began her term as councilwoman. She won her seat on the Sayreville Borough Council in 2021 and ousted incumbents.

According to My Central Jersey, Sayreville Republican Chair Karen Bailey Bebert wrote in a statement about Dwumfour, "We remember Eunice for how she lived, not for how she died. She was the embodiment of Sayreville, living the American Dream, overcoming challenges with grit and a smile. And always giving of time and love to others. She embodied Sayreville and will be terribly missed by all who were fortunate enough to know her."

My Central Jersey reports she recently got married and has a 12-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy also released a statement about Dwumfour’s killing, writing, "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."

He continued, "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."

MORE:

• Homicide Under Investigation - Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office
• Chief Daniel Plumacker statement - Sayreville Police Department
• Mayor Victoria Kilpatrick statement - Borough of Sayreville
• New Jersey Councilwoman Is Fatally Shot, Officials Say - The New York Times
• 'My heart is still pounding': Reactions to slaying of Sayreville councilwoman - My Central Jersey
• Statement from Governor Murphy on the Murder of Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour - New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy