Tragic Incident in Pennsylvania: Man Takes Lives of 3, Including 13-Year-Old Sister

Police in Pennsylvania are currently investigating a tragic incident involving a 26-year-old man. The man, identified as Andre Gordon, is accused of killing three people, including his 13-year-old sister, at two different homes in Falls Township. According to authorities, he used an "AR-15 style assault rifle" to carry out the attacks.

After the violent incident, Gordon carjacked a driver and fled to New Jersey. He was eventually arrested there after crossing state lines. Falls Township Police Chief Nelson Whitney provided this information about the case.

"He's currently in custody, and thankfully, no one else was injured," informed Steve Wilson, the police director of Trenton, New Jersey, on Saturday.

As the crime spree unfolded, residents in Falls Township were briefly asked to shelter-in-place while authorities hunted for the suspect. Eventually, police tracked the suspect down to a home in Trenton, New Jersey, miles away from the initial incident location.

Gordon was arrested without any trouble, according to Wilson. In Trenton, New Jersey, authorities were trying to catch Gordon and thought he was hiding in a house. They set up a perimeter around the area, he explained.

Wilson mentioned, "It turns out, before the perimeter was finished, the suspect managed to leave the location without being noticed. But we had been told he was still inside."

Gordon was arrested just two blocks away from the house where the police believed he was hiding, according to Trenton mayor Reed Gusciora. The suspect was taken into custody without any weapons and he cooperated with the authorities.

Gusciora expressed his gratitude following Gordon's arrest.

Here’s what we know about the killings and the investigation so far:

Timeline of crime spree

Just before 9 a.m., police in Falls Township received a call about a shooting on Viewpoint Lane in Levittown, Pennsylvania.

At a news conference on Saturday afternoon, Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn revealed that Gordon, who was driving a stolen vehicle from Trenton, had fatally shot his 52-year-old stepmother**** Karen Gordon and his 13-year-old sister Kera Gordon in their home. Schorn mentioned that three other family members, including one minor, managed to hide from Gordon during the attack.

During a news conference, Schorn mentioned that the three family members managed to hide and avoid being shot by Gordon as he searched for them in the house.

Shortly after, Gordon drove to Edgewood Lane and broke into a home where he fatally shot 25-year-old Taylor Daniel, the mother of his two children. Among the four other individuals inside the house were children and Daniel’s mother, who was injured by Gordon with an assault rifle and is currently receiving treatment at a hospital, as per Schorn.

After the shootings, Gordon allegedly carjacked a 44-year-old driver at gunpoint in the parking lot of a Dollar General on Bristol Pike in Morrisville around 9:13 a.m. Fortunately, the driver was not harmed during the incident, as per police reports.

The stolen Honda CRV was later discovered abandoned in Trenton at approximately 11:38 a.m., according to Falls Township Police.

Around 12:20 p.m., Pennsylvania authorities received a notification that Gordon was barricaded inside a Trenton home. However, the city’s police director revealed that the suspect had actually left the house before a perimeter was established. The police had set up the perimeter between approximately 10:30 to 11 a.m.

According to Gusciora, the people inside the house had gone upstairs and still believed that Gordon was inside. When they exited through an upstairs window, they informed the police that he was still downstairs. As a precaution, law enforcement could not take any chances, and the situation was resolved effectively by the area's law enforcement officers.

The residents of the house were evacuated through an upstairs window as they believed the suspect was still inside. After surrounding the house for hours and calling out to the suspect, officers eventually spotted him walking down a nearby street and took him into custody.

Earlier, Falls Township Police had stated that the suspect was thought to have an assault rifle that he used in the crimes, along with potentially having other weapons.

Police were unsure if the weapon was owned legally. The shelter-in-place order for Falls Township was lifted once it was confirmed that Gordon was in New Jersey, which is about 28 miles northeast of Philadelphia and close to the border of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Police surround a home in Trenton, New Jersey, where they believed the man suspected of killing three people was on Saturday.

Police surround a home in Trenton, New Jersey, where they believed the man suspected of killing three people was on Saturday.

Matt Rourke/AP

The victims were family members

Falls Township Police suspect that Gordon was acquainted with all the victims, except for the driver. The victims included Gordon’s stepmother****, 13-year-old sister, and the mother of two of his children, as stated by the Bucks County district attorney. The two shootings were described as “domestic related” by Falls Township Chairman of Board of Supervisors Jeff Dence, speaking to CNN.

According to Schorn, family members were present at both residences in Falls Township. It is also believed that Gordon has "family ties" to the Trenton house, as mentioned during a news conference.

Schorn said that he is currently believed to be homeless and has ties to the Trenton area. Authorities mentioned at the Saturday news conference that police have had minor contacts with Gordon in the past, but did not provide further details.

In an X post, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, who represents Bucks County, expressed shock at Andre's actions on a day when the Lower Bucks community celebrates its proud Irish heritage. He condemned Andre for selfishly and abhorrently taking the lives of three individuals confirmed to be his own family.

Falls Township Police released a photo of 26 year-old Andre Gordon.

Falls Township Police released a photo of 26 year-old Andre Gordon.

Falls Township Police

Police now looking for more information

The investigation is still ongoing, according to authorities. Police officers are currently searching the home and the vehicle Gordon allegedly carjacked to find the weapon used in Saturday’s shooting, as mentioned by the mayor. The suspect will be held in custody in New Jersey before being extradited to Pennsylvania.

Officers conducted a search at the home under a warrant to locate the weapon and gather any other relevant information, as stated by Gusciora. Authorities have emphasized that they will thoroughly investigate how the suspect obtained possession of these weapons.

The FBI office in Philadelphia is aware of the incident and is closely monitoring it. They are working closely with their local partners.

The Pennsylvania State Police have also stated that they are helping with the investigation.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro mentioned in a recent post that he was informed about the ongoing incident.

Mayor Gusciora shared that neighbors are feeling relieved, and the city is assisting residents from nearby duplexes affected by tear gas by ensuring they have temporary accommodation.

Trentonians are like one big family, sticking together and showing a lot of camaraderie. The mayor expressed gratitude for their full cooperation with the police, leading to a safe and peaceful outcome.

CNN’s Jeff Winter, Sarah Dewberry, Michelle Watson, Braden Walker, Adrienne Vogt, Matt Meyer, and Danny Freeman all contributed to this report.

Editor's P/S:

The tragic incident