Man faces charges in two states after alleged killings of family members in Pennsylvania
LEVITTOWN, PA — A man faces murder charges in Pennsylvania and carjacking and weapons charges in New Jersey after he allegedly killed three family members, carjacked vehicles in both states and evaded law enforcement for hours as police mobilized in two states, authorities said Sunday.
Andre Gordon Jr., 26, is charged in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, with three counts of first-degree murder, aggravated assault, robbery and other charges, court records show. In New Jersey, Gordon is charged with first-degree carjacking and weapons offenses, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said in a statement Sunday.
“The series of violent acts … is the latest in a gruesome litany of illustrations of how illegal weapons and assault rifles can empower an aggrieved and deranged actor,” Platkin said. “We will pursue justice for the victims and hold the defendant accountable. for his despicable actions.”
Court records in Pennsylvania do not list an attorney for Gordon and a number in his name was not in use. New Jersey authorities said they did not yet have information about an attorney for Gordon in that state.
Gordon carjacked a car in Trenton around 8:40 a.m. Saturday before driving to Levittown in Falls Township, Pennsylvania, killing his stepmother and sister, authorities said. He then drove to a second location in Levittown and killed the mother of his two children, authorities said.
The victims were identified Saturday by Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn as the suspect’s 52-year-old stepmother, Karen Gordon; and his 13-year-old sister, Kera Gordon; and 25-year-old Taylor Daniel, the mother of his two children, who were present at that home at the time of the shooting. He is also accused of hitting Daniel’s mother with the assault weapon; she was taken to a hospital for treatment.
He then carjacked a second vehicle in Morrisville and returned to Trenton, authorities said. Police surrounded a house for hours, thinking he was there, but Gordon apparently slipped out before the police cordon was raised. He was arrested unarmed as he walked down the street a few blocks away around 5 p.m., police said.
Officials in Pennsylvania said they could not yet speak to a motive for the attacks. Although Gordon had had some minor brushes with the law, they were “nothing that would indicate something like this would happen,” Falls Township Police Chief Nelson Whitney said at a news conference.
The chaos forced the cancellation of a St. Patrick’s Day parade and closed a Sesame Street-themed amusement park, and a number of other businesses chose to close as well, authorities said. Authorities in Pennsylvania’s Bucks County issued a shelter-in-place order in some areas for several hours.
Platkin said the crimes “have alarmed and terrorized communities in Bucks and Mercer counties.”
Gordon is currently in custody and is being housed at the Mercer County Correction Center. Trenton Police Director Steve Wilson said Gordon would be extradited to Pennsylvania “at some point.”