Man captured in NJ, accused of killing stepmother, teen sister and mother to his kids in Pa.
The Pennsbury School District released a statement confirming one of the victims was an 8th-grade student.
FALLS TWP., Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A suspect accused of fatally shooting three family members in Bucks County, Pennsylvania on Saturday was captured after being barricaded inside a home in New Jersey, according to police.
Authorities say 26-year-old Andre 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. 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 Trenton home.
Just before 4:30 p.m., Trenton police confirmed that all residents inside the barricaded home and in neighboring houses were evacuated from the area without any injuries.
Action News was at the scene when law enforcement brought out 10 to 12 people from homes along Phillips Avenue. Among the residents was at least one toddler and an elderly woman, who was carried out on an officer's shoulders.
"Some of them actually had to be taken out through an upstairs window and another family member, she's elderly, she had to be taken out on a police officer's back," said one woman who asked to remain anonymous.
Gordon had barricaded himself a short distance away from the 100 block of Miller Street, where police located a carjacked Honda SUV that Gordon was believed to be driving.
3 people gunned down in their Bucks County homes
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.
"The guy started banging on my car with the back of the gun and then I jumped over the seat and ran. I'm so glad I'm alive, cause he could have killed me," recalled Sonia Hanson, the alleged carjacking victim.
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 the 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.
WATCH | Police news conference on 3 homicides in separate locations in Bucks County
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.
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 Taylor 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.
"There were four other individuals present inside that home, one of which was injured after being bludgeoned by Gordon with the assault rifle," noted Schorn.
At 9:13 a.m., police say Gordon carjacked the 44-year-old 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 the Honda was located on the 100 block of Miller Street in Trenton, New Jersey. Police vehicles could be seen parked nearby.
Gordon was believed to be homeless with 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 Twp. police issued a shelter-in-place order on Saturday morning, but that was lifted after about three hours.
Gordon has since been charged by New Jersey authorities with first-degree carjacking, second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, second-degree unlawful possession of an assault firearm, and other related offenses.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the police at 215-328-8501.
School districts mourn Bucks County victims
The Pennsbury School District released a statement on Facebook confirming that Kera Gordon was an 8th-grade student from Boehm Middle School.
"Kera catches the bus a street over so we meet at the bottom of the street and always wave. The biggest smile," recalled Kera's neighbor, Cindy Coyle-Barile.
The district shared links to grief counseling services for families and students impacted by the loss. Officials also stated that counselors would be available in school on Sunday and Monday.
The Penn Valley Elementary School PTO is also collecting donations for Daniel's family to help her two young daughters.
Officials with the PTO team issued the following statement to Action News:
"As mothers and members of the community, Penn Valley PTO is deeply saddened by the loss of Taylor Daniel. Her daughter is an absolute sweetheart and a joy to be around, and that is a testament to the kind of mother Taylor was to her daughters.
Penn Valley families and students are mourning along with their classmate over these tragic events. We will do what we can for all of the students at Penn Valley and will stand together to overcome such difficult times.
If you would like to donate to Taylor Daniel's family, please send Venmo to @Trish-Cartolaro."
Residents react to tragic shootings, barricade situation
Some people who live along Phillips Avenue say they often saw Gordon at what they described as a boarding home. One neighbor who claims to have known Gordon personally told Action News he was a boxer.
He also said that he was shocked to hear about Gordon's alleged actions on Saturday.
"He's a good kid," said Jose Rivera from Trenton. "I just don't understand why he would do something like that, to be honest with you. But you never know."
A friend of Daniel, the mother of Gordon's two children, said she was a caring person who will be missed dearly.
"Taylor was always carefree. She was full of laughter. Always found a way to make someone laugh or put a smile on their face. She was supermom. She would always be there for her daughters and make sure they had everything they needed. She worked so hard to get to where she was. She was a beautiful soul. I will never forget the happiness she has brought into my life and my family. But I know that now she will rest in peace and be with her father," the friend said.
One neighbor who lives next to the Gordons remains in disbelief over the tragedy.
"It's kinda hard going about your day knowing what happened," the neighbor told Action News. "They're a great family. Really quiet, and always greeted me with a smile no matter the day. It's really nice having them as neighbors. I can't believe this happened to such a nice family."
Closings and cancellations
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.
Shaun Murphy was getting ready for the parade when the incident began.
"I saw a whole bunch of cop cars racing up and down the street and then I saw an ambulance come up the street," he recalled.
"It's just a shame hearing (about) the folks that passed away," Murphy added. "It seemed like it was planned and that stuff doesn't happen around here."
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 and CNN contributed to this report.
