Murderous Shoot-out Using Semi-Automatic Tec-9 in Town that Isn't Used to Violence

(PERTH AMBOY) In the small town of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, which hasn't been subjected to much violent crime ever since the "big clean-up," starting with Mayor Joseph Vas' tenure as mayor in 1990, and happens to be where I live, a murderous shoot-out using a Tec-9 semi-automatic handgun, and at least one other weapon, and a hail of gunfire from the first responding Perth Amboy police officer's service weapons, seemed to make up for that overnight, Friday. Five people were affected, two falling dead and three others injured, two of them seriously. No police officers were injured in the incident.

And while police are still investigating the incident, eyewitnesses and one victim report Edwin Cordero Jr., 27, of Perth Amboy, opening fire when he saw police had arrived on the scene, killing one of the occupants and also shooting himself dead in the neck after police ordered the man to put down his weapon.

Authorities said Perth Amboy Police Officer Ganagioti Bouleris and another police officer John Wonski arrived at the scene while the Tec-9 wielding Cordero was spraying the vehicle with bullets. In a news release, authorities with the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office said, the officers engaged the gunman, telling him to drop his weapon, and when he didn't comply with the order, Officer Bouleris squeezed off five rounds at the assailant at just the same time as the gunman was turning the semi-automatic handgun on himself, shooting himself in the neck. Neither, the Middlesex County Prosecutor's office, nor the attending coroner are saying at this time who's bullet killed Cordero, the officer's or his own, and whether or not Officer Bouleris' bullets hit him or anyone else.

What is known is that two of the three wounded victims, and the murdered woman Fabia Aguilar were shot by rounds from the semi-automatic Tec-9. What is not known is whether the third victim was hit by one of Officer Bouleris' rounds, or possibly another, as of yet un-identified weapon involved in the shoot-out. Fabia Aguilar was killed by at least 12 rounds from the Tec-9, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce Kaplan. Fabia Aguilar was a 26 year old, mother of two.

Prosecutor Kaplan wouldn't say whether the intended target of Cordero was Aguilar or one of the other men in the car with her. He did say however, that she was outside of the car and was trying to get back into the car when Cordero opened fire, leaving her slumped onto the front seat of the passenger side of the car, opposite the car Cardero was driving.

Shedding more light on how things unfolded, according to John Ruiz, one of the victims wounded at the scene, and who is back at home after being treated for a a gun-shot wound to his leg, Cordero pulled up and started arguing with the woman Aguilar, " being very mad with her and cursing at her."

The other two wounded victims could not be reached for comment as their names have yet to be released and they are still in the hospital with more serious injuries.

Many neighbors in this working-class neighborhood essentially said they were panic-stricken when they were suddenly awoken to the sounds of quick-succession of numerous gunshots. The shooting occurred at approximately 2:30 AM on Friday night, the beginning of Memorial Day weekend.

This is the first murder in Perth Amboy, New Jersey this year.