Former Sayreville Mayor Kennedy O’Brien has met a lot of people in his life, but the late Eunice Dwumfour made a special impact, as she did to those in her midst back in the South Ward of Newark before she moved to Sayreville and ran for public office.

“She was one of the most positive people I’ve met; a gifted individual,” O’Brien told InsiderNJ, a day after Councilwoman Dwumfour died of multiple gunshot wounds in her car, a year after she assumed the oath of office as a councilwoman.

“She got involved, probably like all of us, to make her community a better place,” the former long-serving mayor added. “She was dedicated individual.”

She was a church-grounded individual who cast positive spiritual energy wherever she went, say the people who knew her, among them fellow Newarkers, who remember the proud graduate of Weequahic High School, who would go on to graduate from William Paterson University.

“She was gorgeous, inside and out,” said Lionel Leach, who described Councilwoman Dwumfour soaking up information about the Black Legislative Caucus “like a sponge.”

Newark South Ward Councilman Pat Council grieved for her on his way to see family members of the late councilwoman who still live in Newark’s South Ward. “I hope justice will prevail and that the Sayreville Police Department will bring this individual to justice,” the councilman told InsiderNJ. “We are praying for her family, and we are praying for the entire Weequahic alumni family at this difficult time.”

Councilman Council first met the councilwoman when she was a student at the storied Newark high school.

“She was a very focused and motivated individual,” Council said. “We are not surprised that she would go on to serve her community in Sayreville. The spirit is united in this city. If you can be a leader in Newark, you can be a leader anywhere. And we pray for the people of Sayreville, too. We pray for them in this loss of their leader.”

Essex County Commissioner President Wayne Richardson, who resides in the South Ward, was angered by another gun killing.

“Gun control and gun laws,” Richardson said. “We need more. We have to do something about the senseless killings and shootings, not around the world, but in America.”

The commissioner president was still shaken by the police killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee.

“This stuff has to stop,” he said. “Stuff like this doesn’t happen in other countries.”

As the state reeled from Councilwoman Dwumfour’s killing, sources in and around Sayreville said the crime was not specifically connected to polarized politics.

Sayreville is no different from most places.

It’s a tough political environment.

Last month, the council clashed over the appointment of Christian Onuoha as the governing body’s council president.

Onuoha and Ms. Dwumfour ran for office as GOP allies.

“I do have a couple of words to say about some recent appointments and the ceremonial title of Council President. It should show leadership and integrity,” said Councilwoman Donna Roberts. “Unfortunately… the current appointee, the first order of business upon his swearing in… was to try to get himself appointed as Council President. So, he has served himself first again this year.

“We should all be there serving the community, not ourselves. Now I have three more years to proudly serve the people in Sayreville and represent them well. It’s easy to see who on the council is a politician and who is a public servant,” Roberts added. “I don’t want the position. I’ve been offered it before and turned it down. I don’t need the title. I just believe the person who is going to step into the Council President position should have integrity and some leadership qualities. And I certainly hope we start to see those this year.”

She also questioned Onuoha’s attendance record.

Mayor Victoria Kilpatrick pushed back.

“I’ve made a lot of resolutions this year, but this makes it difficult,” she admitted, in response to Roberts’s salvo against her ally Onuoha. “We need to work together and be a team. I’m going to rise above. I’m not going to impugn any of the council members up here. Councilman Onuoha, I was proud to recommend you [to the position of council president]. Councilwoman Roberts desperately wanted that position and that’s okay, you should want to serve in the highest capacity you can.”

Onuoha said he was deeply grateful.

For her part, at that same contentious Jan. 3rd reorganization meeting, Councilwoman Dwumfour said, “My prayer for everyone is our mindset would change; a new mindset and new agenda. I’m looking forward to working with everyone. I’m here appointed by God, and I look forward to a glorious year.

“God bless Sayreville,” added the councilwoman, murdered last night.