Mays Landing, NJ: THREE PEOPLE SHOT DEAD IN MAYS LANDING; SUSPECT FOUND DEAD HOURS LATER

Phaedra Laird ( plaird@nbc40.net ) - 6/7/10 06:33 pm

MAYS LANDING--Three people, including a teenager, were shot and killed Sunday night in a condominium complex there. Authorities say the gunman was found dead a short time later, and one person in the home at the time was spared.

"He was like, very frightened when officers were out there holding him, he was left alone inside." Authorities say a 3 year-old boy was the only one who was unharmed, after his mother, brother, and uncle were gunned down inside last night, allegedly by his father. "That's horrible that he had to witness that," said a neighbor who identified herself as Stacey, "I'm sure he didn't understand what happened, but I know he knew it was tragic."

A tragedy that those living in the Woodlands are left mourning. Reggie Coleman-Butler, 15 years-old, a freshman at Oakcrest High School, his mother, 44 year-old Tracey Coleman, and her brother, 39 year-old Ronald Coleman were shot to death by 36 year-old Sharif Whitlock, Coleman's live-in boyfriend, around 7:30 Sunday night, just after authorities say she filed a domestic violence complain against him. "You see this stuff on TV, you never expect it to come right next-door to you," said neighbor, John Lawless, "it's a very quiet street, the people were very quiet, kept to themselves. It's a total surprise to me, you know?"

"We heard gunshots, we were all standing out front," said Stacey, "we saw someone's back, we heard the door slam and you see see from the back, you didn't see the face, but you just seen the gentleman's back...they ran that way and then we seen the car go out that way," she said describing what she saw happen across the street.

Authorities say they found Whitlock dead early this morning in Winslow Township, after he apparently hung himself. Neighbors say he was at the house often, and they never thought he'd ever do such a thing. "Nothing like this," said Stacey, "you woulda never thought anything like this. He was an easy going guy, spoke everyday."

A makeshift memorial outside of the Coleman home continues to grow, thanks mostly to neighbors and Reggie's classmates, who are still in disbelief about this devastating tragedy. "It's like it never happened," said Saddy Helena, who's been friends with the teen since the third grade, "I was just waiting for him to come to my door, just...I couldn't believe it."

Neighbors say as they struggle to cope, all they can do is pray and hope the little boy who was found alone there last night, will some how be OK, despite enduring such tragic losses, all at once.