Indian student charged with family members' triple murder in US
New York, Nov 29: A 23-year-old Indian student has been arrested and charged for allegedly murdering his grandparents and uncle inside a New Jersey condominium, police and US media reports said.
Om Brahmbhatt is accused of shooting Dilipkumar Brahmbhatt, 72, Bindu Brahmbhatt, 72, and Yashkumar Brahmbhatt, 38, the South Plainfield Police Department and the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office said in a statement.
Officers responded to the home on Coppola Drive off New Durham Road in South Plainfield around 9 am on Monday after a neighbour reported hearing shots fired at the Traditions condo complex, the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office said in a press release.
After arriving, officers found three people two men and a woman who had suffered gunshot wounds.
Married couple Dilipkumar and Bindu Brahmbhatt were found shot to death in the second-floor apartment, police said. Their son, Yashkumar Brahmbhatt, was also found to have suffered multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to the hospital, where he died.
A suspect was taken into custody for questioning at the scene and later charged. Om was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and second-degree weapon possession. Om, hailing from Gujarat, resided with the victims and was found at the residence when authorities arrived at the scene.
Om had just moved to New Jersey within the past couple of months, sources said and had been living at the condo, NBC New York reported.
He was taken to the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center pending a pre-trial detention hearing; it wasn't immediately clear whether he had an attorney and a listed number for him couldn't be found.
According to the complaint, the crime was committed with a handgun Om says he purchased online. Om had a seemingly calm demeanour during Tuesday's court appearance. Police say he was the one who called 911 that morning and when asked about who did it, officials say Om stated, "It might be me".
It was not clear what led up to the shooting. A neighbour told NBC New York that it wasn't the first time police had been called to the condo.
"I didn't really know them, I just know one time the police were there for a domestic violence call," said neighbour Jim Short, who lives upstairs from the unit where the three people were found dead. "Can happen anywhere but it is really creepy, it's right downstairs."
The Traditions apartment complex, home to many young families who emigrated from India, is equipped with dozens of security cameras that neighbours hoped could help police.
"There's cameras all over and there are cameras coming in and out of the complex and every building has cameras outside and inside the breezeway. So hopefully that can help," said another neighbour, Victor Orozco.
An investigation led by the South Plainfield Police Department is ongoing. Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to call town police or the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office.
An investigation by South Plainfield Detective Thomas Rutter and Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office Detective Javier Morillo determined that there was no threat to the public and this was not a random act of violence, according to the prosecutor's office.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Cummins doubtful for T20 World Cup? It's quite grey right now, says Aus head coach
Melbourne (PTI): Australia skipper Pat Cummins' chances of playing at next year's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka are "quite grey at the moment" as he battles a back stress issue that has affected his participation in the ongoing Ashes series against England.
Cummins returned to play the third Ashes Test in Adelaide after missing the opening two matches, picking up six wickets to help Australia clinch the series 3-0.
However, the Australian Test and ODI skipper will take no further part in the series and even his participation at the T20 World Cup is also uncertain. All-rounder Mitchell Marsh is Australia's T20I captain.
"Looking forward to the World Cup, whether he will be there or not, I can't really say. It's quite grey at the moment. We're hopeful," head coach Andrew McDonald was quoted as saying by 'ESPNCricinfo'.
The fast bowler was diagnosed with a lumbar stress reaction during Australia's tour of the West Indies in July. He underwent rehabilitation before being cleared for a carefully managed return in Adelaide.
"He's pulled up fine. He won't play any part in the rest of the series and that was a discussion that we had a long time out around his return," McDonald said.
"We were taking on some risk and people that reported on that would understand the risk associated with that rebuild. We've now won the series and that was the goal.
"So, to position him for further risk and jeopardise him long-term is not something that we want to do and Pat's really comfortable with that," he added.
The T20 World Cup is scheduled to begin on February 7 across India and Sri Lanka with the summit clash set for March 8.
Australia's first match is on February 11 against Ireland at Colombo. Although Cummins captains the Test and ODI teams, all-rounder Mitch Marsh leads Australia in the shortest format.
