"They were laid out like they sustained injuries to their abdomen"
A US Punjabi woman was shot dead outside a property in New Jersey while her cousin was severely wounded.
A 19-year-old man opened fire at Jasvir Kaur and Gagandeep Kaur.
It was reported that Gaurav Gill was arrested in connection with the shooting.
He was charged with one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, one count of second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, one count of fourth-degree possession of a high-capacity magazine and one count of first-degree attempted murder.
The Consulate General of India in New York tweeted:
“Deeply saddened to learn of the tragic demise of Ms Jasvir Kaur and injuries to Ms Gagandeep Kaur in a shooting on Roosevelt Avenue, Carteret, New Jersey.
“We offer our sincere condolences to the family of the deceased.”
It was reported that the shooting happened on a driveway a couple of blocks away from the victims’ home shortly after 9 am on June 12, 2024.
Local business owner Josh Lenoff said:
“They were on the driveway. They were laid out like they sustained injuries to their abdomen and their back.”
Both victims were airlifted to hospital.
Twenty-nine-year-old Jasvir was pronounced dead at the hospital while 20-year-old Gagandeep remains in a critical condition at University Hospital, Newark.
Gurmukh Singh was Jasvir’s landlord but considered him an uncle in the close-knit Punjabi community.
He said: “She’s a very nice, hardworking girl, very sweet.”
Security footage showed Jasvir leaving her apartment to follow after her younger cousin who abruptly left shortly before.
Mr Singh continued: “Before that morning, last night, I’m here sitting. She came and said, ‘Hi uncle’. That’s the last hi. That’s it man. Over everything.”
Jasvir Kaur lived in the upstairs apartment of a home on Roosevelt Avenue with her cousin and husband, who the landlord said was out of town for work and had to rush back.
The shooting prompted a manhunt for the suspect, who was eventually located in a residential backyard on Post Boulevard, just minutes away from the crime scene.
Middlesex County authorities say Gill is from Washington state, leaving them and other Carteret residents with so many questions.
One resident, Harshpreet Kaur said:
“Nobody knows who this guy is, you know.
“Why did you do this? We’re all from the same community we should be supporting each other – this is not who we are.”
Gill is being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Centre pending the results of his pre-trial detention hearing.
Carteret’s Mayor, Dan Reiman, said:
“Together, we faced this challenging situation with unity and resilience, and for that, we are grateful. Our thoughts remain with all those affected.”
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