TRENTON – Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the New Jersey State Police, the Division of Criminal Justice, the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Trenton Police Department today announced the arrest of a 26-year-old man suspected of three murders in Pennsylvania and two carjackings.

Law enforcement officials in New Jersey and Bucks County, Pennsylvania, were looking for Andre Gordon Jr., in connection with the fatal shootings of three people, including a 13-year-old girl, in two separate locations in Falls Township, Pennsylvania, on the morning of Saturday, March 16, 2024.

Gordon allegedly carjacked a vehicle in the parking lot of Donnelly Homes in Trenton around 8:40 a.m., drove to Falls Township and committed a series of shootings, carjacked a second vehicle in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, and returned to Trenton. He entered a residence on Phillips Avenue and was later apprehended on New York Avenue at approximately 5 p.m. Gordon is being lodged at the Mercer County Correction Center. 

“The string of violent acts that took place yesterday, allegedly at the hands of a single armed individual, alarmed and terrorized communities in Bucks and Mercer counties. It is the latest in a horrific litany of illustrations of how illegal guns and assault rifles can empower one aggrieved and disturbed actor to do immense damage and leave a trail of tragedies in their wake,” said Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin. “I am grateful to all the brave law enforcement officers who mobilized in the face of grave danger and helped ensure this incident ended without further harm. We will pursue justice for the victims and hold the defendant accountable for his reprehensible actions.”

“As law enforcement officers, we rely on our professional training and experience when handling events like this. These situations are challenging and show the dangers law enforcement officers face daily,” said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “I’d like to thank all of the agencies involved in safely bringing this violent and tragic incident to an end.”

“Yesterday’s events are a profound tragedy and a shock that instilled fear in many residents in two states,” said J. Stephen Ferketic, director of the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice. “Thankfully, they ended with the apprehension of the suspect without further gunfire. We will work closely with our partners in Bucks County to ensure that the defendant answers for his alleged crimes in both Trenton and Falls Township.”

“I’d like to extend my sincere appreciation to our federal, state, and local partners for their overwhelming response and assistance in apprehending this extremely dangerous individual,” said Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri. “We’ve been in constant contact with Bucks County authorities and will work expeditiously to ensure that Andre Gordon is returned to Pennsylvania to face his murder charges.”

“My heartfelt sympathy goes out to the victims and their families,” said Police Director Steve Wilson of the Trenton Police Department. “I’d like to thank the local, county, and state authorities for their immediate deployment of additional resources that helped prevent further injury and loss of life to the public and to any law enforcement officer. We are pleased that this incident ended with the peaceful apprehension of the suspect.”

Approximately 60 officers from the Mercer County Rapid Response Partnership (MCRRP) responded to assist. They included officers from East Windsor, Ewing, Hamilton, Hightstown, Hopewell, Lawrence, Princeton, Robbinsville, West Windsor, the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, The College of New Jersey, the New Jersey State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Gordon was 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, third-degree unlawful possession of a firearm without a serial number, third-degree receiving stolen property, fourth-degree unlawful possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines, and fourth-degree possession of hollow-point ammunition.

The charges in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

First-degree carjacking carries a sentence of up to 30 years in New Jersey state prison and a fine of up to $200,000. Second-degree crimes carry a sentence of up to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000, third-degree crimes carry a sentence of up to five years in state prison and a fine of up to $15,000, and fourth-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of 18 months and a fine of up to $10,000.

The potential sentences are provided solely for informational purposes, as any potential sentence is determined by a judge.

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Defense attorney: Unknown at this time

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