A tragic event unfolded as a man, identified as Andre Gordon, 26, was accused of taking the lives of his own family members, including a young 13-year-old girl, in Pennsylvania. This heartbreaking incident occurred before he made his escape to New Jersey. There, he took refuge in a Trenton home, holding hostages inside, according to officials.
Andre Gordon allegedly carried out the shootings on a Saturday morning at two different places in Levittown, Pennsylvania. Following these heinous acts, he forcefully took a car from a driver at gunpoint and fled to New Jersey. It was in Trenton where authorities eventually located him.
The Trenton Police Department’s SWAT team was promptly dispatched to the scene, as informed by Pennsylvania authorities. Lisette Rios, speaking on behalf of the Trenton police, later confirmed that the situation had evolved, and it was believed that Gordon was alone in the house, with no hostages remaining inside.
The series of events began around 8:52 a.m., when police were called to a residence on Viewpoint Lane in Levittown after reports of a shooting came in, as stated by the Falls Township, Pennsylvania, police.
Jennifer Schorn, the district attorney in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, detailed how Gordon, using a stolen vehicle from Trenton, forced entry into the home, resulting in the death of his 52-year-old stepmother, Karen Gordon, and his 13-year-old sister, Kera Gordon.
In the home, three other individuals, including a minor, managed to evade Gordon by hiding as he searched the premises for them, Schorn revealed during a news conference held on Saturday afternoon.
Gordon’s rampage continued as he proceeded to another home on Edgewood Lane in Levittown. There, he fatally shot 25-year-old Taylor Daniel, with whom he shared two children. In addition to this tragic loss, four other individuals were present in the home, one of whom suffered injuries after being attacked by Gordon with an assault rifle. The injured woman was rushed to the hospital and is expected to make a recovery.
At approximately 9:13 a.m., Gordon is said to have carjacked a 44-year-old man in the parking lot of a Dollar General store in Morrisville, using a gun to threaten the driver, who fortunately was not harmed, authorities noted.
Gordon made his getaway in a 2016 gray Honda CRV, which was easily identifiable by a “Namaste” sticker on the right bumper. The vehicle was later found abandoned in Trenton around 11:38 a.m., as reported by the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.
By 12:22 p.m., information had surfaced that Gordon had barricaded himself and hostages inside a Trenton home. The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office directed all inquiries regarding this development to the Trenton City Police Department.
Prior to these events, police in Pennsylvania had described Gordon as homeless with ties to Trenton, warning that he was armed with an assault rifle used in the shootings and potentially had access to more weapons, labeling him as “extremely dangerous.”
The violent spree prompted a shelter-in-place order in Falls Township, urging residents to secure their homes and stay away from windows. The order was eventually lifted on Saturday afternoon.
The community’s sense of safety was further disrupted as a Bucks County St. Patrick’s Day parade scheduled for that morning was canceled, and the Pennsbury School District postponed its activities.
Nearby, Middletown Township residents were advised against traveling to Falls Township, though they were later informed that the situation had been resolved.
In response to the crisis, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick stated he was in contact with law enforcement, while Gov. Josh Shapiro was briefed on the incident and requested state police assistance for local law enforcement.
Falls Township Police Chief Nelson Whitney mentioned that authorities had minor previous encounters with Gordon, but nothing to suggest he was capable of such actions.
Levittown, the site of these tragic events, is located in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, approximately 26 miles from the city.
This story is still developing, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.