Piscataway, NJ murders: Police ID suspect and victims
4 dead in Piscataway, NJ, sources say
Sources tell FOX 5 NY's Kendall Green that four are dead in an incident in Piscataway, New Jersey.
NEW YORK - A suburban New Jersey community is reeling after a quadruple homicide that unfolded Monday evening, just after the holiday weekend.
What we know:
A man shot and killed by police at a River Road home Monday evening is accused of killing three of his relatives.
"It’s a shocking event that took place late last night," Wahler told FOX 5 NY. "I think the biggest question that’s going to be asked is why?"
What we don't know:
Who is Jordan Barnes?
NJ officials identified the man killed in the police-involved shooting as Jordan Barnes, 29, from Piscataway. They say he is responsible for killing his mother and grandparents.
According to a preliminary investigation, officers were dispatched to a River Road residence around 5:30 p.m. Monday after receiving a 911 call from a relative reporting that Barnes was threatening to harm family members inside the home.
"These are all people who knew each other and were related by blood," Wahler said, calling the incident isolated.
What happened in Piscataway?
When officers arrived, one officer attempted to speak with Barnes through the closed front door. Another officer looked through the door’s sidelight and observed two people lying unresponsive on the floor inside the residence, authorities said.
Police then opened the front door and encountered Barnes holding a kitchen knife. Officers ordered him to drop the knife and get on the ground, but he did not comply, according to the Attorney General’s Office. Three officers deployed Tasers, but Barnes continued to walk toward them. One officer then fired his service weapon, striking Barnes.
Officers provided immediate medical aid until emergency medical services arrived. Barnes was later pronounced dead. Authorities said two knives were recovered near him.
Who are the victims?
After the shooting, police found Jeanmarie Barnes, 60; Richard A. Barnes, 86; and Brenda F. Barnes, 84, dead inside the home with multiple suspected stab wounds. The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office is investigating their deaths.
Mayor Wahler said a relative believed to be the father placed the 911 call that brought police to the scene.
Under a 2019 state law, the Attorney General’s Office is required to investigate any death that occurs during an encounter with law enforcement acting in an official capacity. That investigation will be presented to a grand jury to determine whether criminal charges are warranted against any officer involved.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Mayor urges privacy, investigation ongoing
Piscataway Mayor Brian C. Wahler speaks to FOX 5 NY.
Mayor Wahler asked the public to give the family space as they grieve their loved ones.
"This is very rare, especially in Piscataway," he said.
Wahler acknowledged that many people in the community want answers but cautioned that some questions may never be resolved.
"We may never know the answer to that," he said.
The mayor said he did not personally know the family, but his son knew one of the people involved. He added that the family had lived in Piscataway for several years.
Wahler said the last major crime in the township occurred about 15 years ago and involved a murder-suicide.
The police-involved shooting and the deaths inside the home remain under investigation by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
It remains unclear whether the suspect had any prior history with police or whether there had been previous disturbances at the home.
Where is Piscataway, New Jersey?
Local perspective:
Piscataway is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. It is located in the Raritan Valley and is a suburb of the New York metropolitan area.
The Source: This report is based on information from Piscataway Mayor Brian C. Wahler and police.