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Eunice Dwumfour, identified as the wife of a Nigeria-based pastor, Eze Kings, has been shot dead in front of her home in New Jersey, United States of America.
The deceased, a Republican councilwoman, has been confirmed by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism to be the spouse of the Nigerian clergyman.
The York Post reported that the 30-year-old Dwumfour was shot about 12 times by a yet-to-be-identified assailant on the evening of Wednesday, February 1, 2023.
She came under the attack while driving around her home in her white Nissan SUV which rammed into two stationary cars before coming to a stop.
The NY Post quoted a male witness, who spoke on condition of anonymity on Thursday, as saying that Dwumfour's car was hit with about 12 shots while travelling down Check Avenue toward Samuel Circle around 7:15 p.m.
The vehicle eventually stopped after crashing into the two parked cars, one of which is a black Lexus GS350 belonging to the witness.
The witness said: “It took a second before I realised there was a dead body behind the wheel.
“She was slumped over the wheel with a black hoodie with brown fur covering her head, her hands were down by her side. There was one bullet hole in the passenger door and a bunch of bullet holes in the driver door. Some other neighbors said they saw someone running away with a mask on.”
Meanwhile, RLS Media also reported that some locals spotted the gunman racing off to the Garden State Parkway, which edges the complex.
It was gathered that 20 Sayreville police officers were spotted on Thursday afternoon combing the sides of a Garden State Parkway exit ramp headed toward the Jon Bon Jovi Service Area.
Not long after, investigators at the crime scene told reporters that a video footage showed Dwumfour conversing with the shooter just moments before her death.
Authorities told the platform that, even though an obvious motive hasn't yet been established, the Republican councilwoman — who preached for a Nigerian-based church group — appeared to be the intended target.
Dog groomer, Kristen Glanforf, who lives on Check Avenue, told The Post, “I heard what sounded like a few shots going off.”
“I dropped everything and started running for my apartment. There was a car rolled down to the end of the hill, lights on. The doors were open.”
Reactions trail Dwumfour's death
Meanwhile, Dwumfour's death has generated reactions from prominent members of the community and the Governor of the state of New Jersey, Phil Murphy.
Murphy in a statement said he was "stunned" by the news of the councilwoman’s death.
The statement added: “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,”
“I send my condolences to Councilwoman Dwumfour’s family and friends, her governing body colleagues, and the entire Sayreville community.”
Also, the Mayor of Sayreville, Victoria Kilpatrick, said in a statement that the community was “shocked and saddened by the loss.”
“Eunice was a dedicated member of our borough council who was truly committed to serve our residents. The fact she was taken from us by this despicable criminal act makes this incident all the more horrifying.”
Pulse reports that Dwumfour had served the Borough of Sayreville since November 2021, when she defeated the then incumbent in a shock election. She was not up for reelection until 2024.