New Jersey Family Tragedy Leaves Three Dead After Early Morning Shooting in Berkeley Township
A man shot and killed three people, including his ex-partner and her parents, before killing himself in a quiet Berkeley Township, New Jersey, neighborhood early Tuesday morning. The horrific events inside and around a Fairwood Drive home left three children unharmed but without their parents, according to authorities.
Police responded to gunfire at the Fairwood Drive residence about 5 a.m., according to Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office detectives. Police spotted a man enter the home when they arrived. Within minutes, the Ocean County Regional SWAT Team responded to more gunshots from inside the property.
Officers entered the home and found two fatally shot victims. Later, authorities recognized them as Allan Russell, 61, and Michelle Russell, 60. The couple had a home and raised one of the victims. Officers spotted three children inside the home during the search. Officials reported no physical injury to the children.
Authorities found a man inside the home with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head while securing the property. Vaughn Stewart, 37, from Maplewood, New Jersey, was recognized. Stewart died at Community Medical Center in Toms River after emergency responders took him there.
Multiple shot casings were found 50 yards from the residence while police investigated the neighborhood. Officers found another victim, 38-year-old Deonna Stewart of Berkeley Township, nearby.
Deonna Stewart, her parents, and her three children lived on Fairwood Drive, according to authorities. Investigations claim Vaughn Stewart, who had three children with Deonna Stewart, lived apart from her.
The initial investigation suggests Vaughn Stewart entered the home and shot Deonna Stewart’s parents. He apparently chased Deonna Stewart along the street outside the house. She was slain by many gunfire, according to officials. After the incident outside, investigators suspect he returned home and shot himself.
Law officers stated that the three children living at the home were inside throughout the event but unharmed. The Department of Child Protection and Permanency took custody of the children after the incident.
The investigation into the horrific shooting continues as authorities evaluate evidence and reconstruct the timeline. The tragedy has devastated the local community and shown the terrible repercussions of domestic violence.
Investigators are still investigating the confrontation’s causes, but officials have not revealed more details.
Sources
Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office
Berkeley Township Police Department
New Jersey Department of Child Protection and Permanency
