Jun 27, 2008 7:00 pm US/Eastern
Family, Friends In Shock Over Fatal N.J. Shooting
Man Allegedly Killed Ex-Wife In Front Of Their Children At Montclair YMCA
MONTCLAIR, N.J. (CBS) ―
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Kenneth Duckett allegedly shot and killed his ex-wife in front of their 11-year-old daughter at a Montclair, N.J., YMCA on June 26. (File)
CBS
Police were searching for a man accused of fatally shooting his ex-wife at a YMCA while several children were nearby.
According to police, Kenneth Duckett gunned down 31-year-old Monica Paul, who was sitting next to her 11-year-old daughter and watching her 4-year-old son swim.
The incident took place at the Helen and Bill Geyer YMCA Family Center in Montclair.
"At the time of the shooting she was seated outside the pool area which was in use by one of her sons, a 4-year-old, and other children at the time who were in pre-swim classes," Essex County prosecutor Paula Dow said.
A man at the YMCA tried to save the mother of two, but it was too late. During the time of the shooting a swimming class for pre-schoolers was going on, and he helped evacuate them.
"He loves his kids. He's always taking care of his kids. I don't know what went wrong. But something just went wrong," said Owen Stewart, Duckett's uncle.
Montclair Police Deputy Chief Perry Mayers was among the first to run inside.
"As you can imagine, there were a number of people in there, so it was kind of hectic," Mayers said. "People were upset. Obviously there had been a shooting. People were scattered about."
"I love Monica and I still love Anton. I hope he does give himself up because I couldn't sleep last night. I couldn't," Stewart said.
Monica has deep roots in Montclair. Some even knew Kenneth from his visits with his kids including trips to the barber shop.
"Everybody went to [the same] high school
growing up," family friend Aaron Johnson explained.
"I'm still shocked...it's sad," said Boo Cyrus, another friend of the family.
CBS 2 HD learned the glass the victim was looking through at the time of the shooting was shattered by the gunshot. It is believed that was the only thing the other children in attendance witnessed, not the shooting itself.
Police are looking for the suspect. He was said to have driven off in a white Jeep that was abandoned and found in nearby Orange. The police are also looking for a 25-year-old accomplice, a man believed to be around 5-foot-5, 140 pounds. At the time he was wearing a yellow shirt.
The Essex County prosecutor's office is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Duckett.
CBS 2HD's Lou Young contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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