Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
2 days after New Jersey councilwoman was shot and killed, authorities are silent
By
Louis C. Hochman
,
Nancy Solomon
and
Isidoro Rodriguez
Published Feb 3, 2023
Modified Feb 14, 2023
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Matt Katz/Gothamist
By
Louis C. Hochman
,
Nancy Solomon
and
Isidoro Rodriguez
Published Feb 3, 2023
Modified Feb 14, 2023
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Nearly two days after a Sayreville, New Jersey councilmember was shot and killed in her vehicle, authorities leading the investigation remained silent Friday.
The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office said it had “no updates to report" about the death of 30-year-old Councilmember Eunice Dwumfour in a brief message to media late Friday. It hadn’t released any information since Thursday morning, when it first acknowledged the shooting. Dwumfour was shot multiple times in her car shortly before 7:30 p.m. Feb. 1, the prosecutor’s office said at the time.
The prosecutor’s office also said it wasn’t planning a press conference at the time, “and because the investigation is still active and ongoing we are declining to comment on all matters at this time.”
And it didn’t say if there was thought to be any ongoing threat to the community.
But Borough Administrator Glenn Skarzynski, a retired member of the Sayreville Police Department, said he didn’t believe the community was at risk.
“ [Police] have increased patrols, high-visibility patrols all through the community, but there's no belief that there was another target amongst the community outside of Eunice,” he said.
The silence from law enforcement comes as the borough plans its own memorial for Dwumfour, described by colleagues and friends as a deeply religious woman with a generous spirit. A service was planned for 6 p.m. Wednesday at Epic Church International, at 2707 Main Street Extension in Sayreville, Skarzynski said.
On Thursday evening, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy told WNYC that after speaking with local political leaders, he did not believe Dwumfour was targeted because of her seat on the council.
Officials confirmed her death is being investigated as a homicide. Sayreville Police are also working on the investigation, but have deferred all comment to the county prosecutor.
Dwumfour was shot in her vehicle outside her home Wednesday night. Prosecutor's aren't saying if they have any suspects or know of a motive.
Reports indicate that councilmember Eunice Dwumfour was found fatally shot Wednesday.
A Gothamist reporter saw police searching for evidence in a wooded area near Dwumfour's home on Thursday afternoon. Several neighbors said they heard shots just before Dwumfour’s vehicle slammed into parked cars.
Friends of Dwumfour remembered her as a vibrant, joyous mother who recently married. She was also deeply involved in her Christian community. The 30-year-old Republican was elected to the Sayreville Borough Council in 2021 after a close race that she ran alongside Christian Onuoha, a friend and member of her congregation, according to city officials. The two defeated a pair of Democratic incumbents.
Vincent Conti, a fellow councilmember, told WNYC’s Michael Hill that Dwumfour was a vibrant and personable individual, and he couldn’t imagine a reason someone would harm her.
“It doesn't make any sense,” he said.
Conti, a Democrat, described Dwumfour as "always grateful” and “always thanking God for what she was able to do and the people of our town."
"She was happy to be there, and she was happy to be working on behalf of the residents of Sayreville,” he said.
Dwumfour was a member of the borough’s Human Relations Commission, which Conti said showed her commitment to peace-building. The commission focuses on diversity issues and bias complaints.
"We're all in shock. It's only been a couple of days at this point," he said. "I don't know that it's really set in yet.”
Dwumfour grew up in Newark, where she graduated as one of the top 10 students in her high school class. In 2017, she earned a degree from William Paterson University, the college confirmed.
Newark South Ward Councilmember Patrick Council was with Dwumfour's parents in that city Friday. He said they're in pain, and request privacy.
"But ultimately, they are looking for justice for their daughter, and they are hoping that the Sayreville Police Department as well as the Middlesex County Prosecutor's office and all that are involved can help to bring justice to a quick closure," he said.
Sayreville, a town of roughly 45,000 people, is located across the Raritan Bay from Staten Island and about 70 miles northeast of Philadelphia.
This story has been updated to correct Glenn Skarzynski's name.
Tagged
public safety
new jersey
Politics
Louis C. Hochman
After about two decades in (mostly) New Jersey-focused commercial print, digital and digital-but-radio-adjacent news, Lou stumbled into member-supported news in early 2021, as the editor and CEO of Montclair Local. There, he (hopes he) expanded enterprise, brought more sophistication to digital storytelling and moved the nonprofit newsroom closer to long-term financial sustainability. He helped lead the Local to its fourth consecutive General Excellence award from the New Jersey Press Association — the NJPA's highest honor with judges noting the paper's work to strip away layers of government opacity, to hold power to account, to make news accessible for more members of the community, to share the stories and concerns of more facets of the community and to tell compelling stories across multiple media. He's excited to continue the same ethic — news as a public service — at NYPR as the New Jersey and suburbs editor, drawing on the extraordinary talents of reporters including Karen Yi and Nancy Solomon. Lou lives in Philly (that commute!) with his partner and their two cats, about whom and about which he speaks incessantly.
Read more
Nancy Solomon
Read more
Isidoro Rodriguez
Isidoro Rodriguez is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NY unemployment recipients brace for delays during system upgrade
The shutdown is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. on Monday and last for nine to 12 days.
By
Jon Campbell
and
Carol Chen
Published Oct 30, 2026 at 12:59 p.m. ET
Influential Brooklyn developer illegally raised rents despite tax break, lawsuit claims
The lawsuit targets the leasing practices of the company Two Trees, which recently received a special carveout in the New York state budget.
By
David Brand
News
Influential Brooklyn developer illegally raised rents despite tax break, lawsuit claims
The lawsuit targets the leasing practices of the company Two Trees, which recently received a special carveout in the New York state budget.
By
David Brand
Democrats' early voting lead in NJ keeps growing ahead of Election Day
By
Mike Hayes
Early Addition: Is Harry running?
By
James Ramsay
NYC Council takes key step toward Mamdani's promised Department of Community Safety
By
Ben Feuerherd
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .