CARTERET, NJ - On Wednesday, gunshots broke the sounds of normal life on Roosevelt Avenue in Carteret when Gaurav Gill, 19, from Kent, Washington allegedly shot and killed Jasvir Kaur, 29, and shot another 20-year-old woman from Carteret, wounding her. A manhunt would ensue, leading to a massive deployment of law enforcement and his eventual arrest.
According to police documents, Gill was dressed in black and "fired multiple shots at the victims before fleeing through backyards."
According to MyCentralJersey, the Carteret Police Department responded to a report of a shooting at about 9:28 p.m. with responding officers finding two women wounded. Both were airlifted to a local hospital in critical condition.
Kaur perished at the hospital, the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office revealed, while the second woman, still unnamed but said to be 20 years old, remains in critical condition.
Police say the women were cousins who had just left Kaur's apartment, which is a few blocks from the shooting, but it has not been revealed whether Gill had any relation to either of them or whether a motive has been established.
Video showed Gill wearing a black hoodie and black jeans, and also showed him removing the sweatshirt and wearing a white t-shirt underneath. He was also seen on video racking a 9mm handgun, which was recovered during his arrest.
A nearby elementary school was locked down as a manhunt commenced for the suspect. He was located hours later in the residential backyard of Orlando Suarez on Post Boulevard, as reported by Eyewitness News. Suarez told the outlet, "I just saw him run into the backyard. He just runs right into the backyard."
Suarez would witness Carteret Police taking Gill into custody but it was his father, Elias, who first encountered him. "I knew something was off with him. He just didn't seem - he was agitated. He just asked for a cup of water. He looked like he was running through the woods," Elias Suarez told ABC7. "It must have happened like five or 10 minutes after he shot somebody. Honestly.
In a statement released by the prosecutor's office, it was confirmed that Gill was arrested. "Gill was arrested and 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."
He is currently being held pending a hearing at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center.
In a statement posted to Facebook, Mayor Daniel Reiman wrote, "I would like to extend our appreciation to the residents and businesses of the Borough of Carteret who demonstrated exceptional vigilance and community support yesterday during this tragic incident. Your prompt reporting of suspicious activity and your thorough monitoring of surveillance feeds and home security footage were crucial in aiding law enforcement efforts which ended with the apprehension of the suspect.
"I also want to thank our law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to resolve the situation swiftly. Our appreciation goes to the Carteret, Woodbridge, Edison, and Perth Amboy Police Departments, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, the New Jersey State Police, the ATF/US Marshals, the County SORT Team, the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office, and the Office of Emergency Management, along with the Carteret Office of Emergency Management and the Carteret Fire/EMS team.
"Together, we faced this challenging situation with unity and resilience, and for that, we are grateful. Our thoughts remain with all those affected, and we are committed to supporting our community as we move forward.
"While the suspect has been apprehended the investigation and prosecution of this suspect will continue by the CPD and Middlesex County Prosecutors office. Stay Strong Carteret."
According to police documents, Gill was dressed in black and "fired multiple shots at the victims before fleeing through backyards."
According to MyCentralJersey, the Carteret Police Department responded to a report of a shooting at about 9:28 p.m. with responding officers finding two women wounded. Both were airlifted to a local hospital in critical condition.
Kaur perished at the hospital, the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office revealed, while the second woman, still unnamed but said to be 20 years old, remains in critical condition.
Police say the women were cousins who had just left Kaur's apartment, which is a few blocks from the shooting, but it has not been revealed whether Gill had any relation to either of them or whether a motive has been established.
Video showed Gill wearing a black hoodie and black jeans, and also showed him removing the sweatshirt and wearing a white t-shirt underneath. He was also seen on video racking a 9mm handgun, which was recovered during his arrest.
A nearby elementary school was locked down as a manhunt commenced for the suspect. He was located hours later in the residential backyard of Orlando Suarez on Post Boulevard, as reported by Eyewitness News. Suarez told the outlet, "I just saw him run into the backyard. He just runs right into the backyard."
Suarez would witness Carteret Police taking Gill into custody but it was his father, Elias, who first encountered him. "I knew something was off with him. He just didn't seem - he was agitated. He just asked for a cup of water. He looked like he was running through the woods," Elias Suarez told ABC7. "It must have happened like five or 10 minutes after he shot somebody. Honestly.
"He comes back a couple hours later, running through our backyard, cops are chasing him. Next thing you know, he tries to jump over our fence to get out, but they end up catching him," Orlando Suarez told reporters.
In a statement released by the prosecutor's office, it was confirmed that Gill was arrested. "Gill was arrested and 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."
He is currently being held pending a hearing at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center.
In a statement posted to Facebook, Mayor Daniel Reiman wrote, "I would like to extend our appreciation to the residents and businesses of the Borough of Carteret who demonstrated exceptional vigilance and community support yesterday during this tragic incident. Your prompt reporting of suspicious activity and your thorough monitoring of surveillance feeds and home security footage were crucial in aiding law enforcement efforts which ended with the apprehension of the suspect.
"I also want to thank our law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to resolve the situation swiftly. Our appreciation goes to the Carteret, Woodbridge, Edison, and Perth Amboy Police Departments, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, the New Jersey State Police, the ATF/US Marshals, the County SORT Team, the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office, and the Office of Emergency Management, along with the Carteret Office of Emergency Management and the Carteret Fire/EMS team.
"Together, we faced this challenging situation with unity and resilience, and for that, we are grateful. Our thoughts remain with all those affected, and we are committed to supporting our community as we move forward.
"While the suspect has been apprehended the investigation and prosecution of this suspect will continue by the CPD and Middlesex County Prosecutors office. Stay Strong Carteret."
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