Suspect arrested in Trenton after alleged killing spree in Philadelphia area

Authorities in New Jersey apprehended 26-year-old Andre Gordon Jr., a suspect in Saturday’s fatal shooting of three family members in the Philadelphia area earlier that day.

The arrest followed a chaotic manhunt that spanned multiple locations and involved the closure of public spaces and a shelter-in-place order in certain areas.

The tragic events unfolded in suburban Falls Township, where Gordon is suspected of killing his stepmother, his teenage sister, and the mother of his children.

Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn disclosed that the suspect was armed with an AR-style rifle during the attacks.

The victims were identified as 52-year-old Karen Gordon (stepmother), 13-year-old Kera Gordon (sister), and 25-year-old Taylor Daniel (mother of his children).

Law enforcement agencies, including SWAT teams, were mobilized to handle the escalating situation, which also prompted the closure of local businesses and the cancellation of events such as the Falls Township St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

The day’s events put multiple communities on high alert, with residents receiving shelter-in-place orders and law enforcement urging caution.

Despite the turmoil, authorities were able to peacefully resolve the standoff in Trenton, where Gordon had barricaded himself in a house believed to be holding hostages.

The motive behind the violent spree remains unclear, with officials noting that Gordon had no significant prior criminal history that would suggest such actions.

Investigations are ongoing into how Gordon acquired the firearm and the sequence of events leading up to the shootings.

The tragic loss of life and the swift law enforcement response have left the community shaken, with residents expressing shock and grief over the senseless violence.

The violence began when the suspect — armed with an AR-style rifle and possibly other firearms — arrived at a home on Viewpoint Lane in Levittown, in a vehicle that he had carjacked from Trenton.

He broke inside the residence, where he shot and killed two victims, his sister and his stepmother. About 10 minutes later, the suspect allegedly drove to another nearby home, where he shot and killed the mother of his two children.

Following the shootings, Gordon allegedly fled the scene, leading to a series of incidents including carjackings in Pennsylvania and a subsequent barricade situation in Trenton, New Jersey.

Gordon, who is currently homeless, was later tracked to Trenton, where around 3:30 p.m., he was barricaded inside a home in the 100 block of Phillips Street.

Gordon, who is currently homeless, was taken into custody in Trenton around 5 p.m. He will be charged in Bucks County at the appropriate time.

As the investigation continues, authorities are working to piece together the events and provide support to the affected families and communities.

Andre Gordon’s 13-year-old sister, Kera, and his stepmother, Karen Murphy-Gordon, 52, were his first victims after the gunman broke into their home on Viewpoint Lane, in Levittown’s Vermillion Hills section, authorities said.

Kera Gordon was an 8th-grader at Charles Boehm Middle School in the Pennsbury School District. It is believed she lived at home with her parents and a sister.

Karen Murphy-Gordon, Kera’s mother and Andre Gordon Jr.’s stepmother, ran a tax preparation business out of the home she and her family lived at since 2008.

“Three other people were in that home during the shooting,” said Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn. “They were able to hide from Gordon and avoid being shot as he searched for them in the house.”

Taylor Daniel, 25, was allegedly shot and killed by Gordon at her home on Edgewood Lane after the violence on Viewpoint. The couple both graduated from Pennsbury High School in 2016 and they had two daughters together, who were home but left unharmed, according to police.

At the time of that shooting, there were four other individuals inside the home, one of whom was injured after being bludgeoned by Gordon with the assault rifle. She was transported to Jefferson Hospital, Torresdale Campus, for injuries.

At 9:13 a.m., Gordon committed a carjacking at gunpoint of a 44-year-old male Morrisville resident, in the parking lot of the Dollar General, Bristol Pike, Morrisville, the operator of the vehicle did not suffer any injuries as a result.

At 11:38 a.m., the Honda CRV was located, unoccupied, in the 100 block of Miller Street, Trenton, New Jersey.

At 12:22 p.m., police received information that Gordon was barricaded, with hostages, inside a residence, in the 100 block of Phillips Street, Trenton, New Jersey.

It’s unclear if Gordon and Daniel were still in a relationship together but they did formerly share an apartment, according to public records.

Taylor’s mother, Nancy Daniel, was bludgeoned with the AR-15 rifle Gordon is said to have had with him. She was hospitalized but is expected to survive.