By: Jeff Sommes
A Burlington County man is accused of fatally shooting an acquaintance inside a Lumberton residence before taking his own life Wednesday afternoon, according to authorities.
The incident unfolded shortly after 4:15 p.m. when officers responded to a reported shooting at a home on Curry Court.
Upon arrival, police found 53-year-old Damon Nesmith deceased inside the residence, according to a statement released by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.
Investigators determined that Tyrone McLean, 56, of Lumberton, allegedly entered the home and fired multiple rounds from a .40-caliber handgun, striking Nesmith. After the shooting, McLean reportedly fled the area in a vehicle.
Authorities said McLean drove approximately a half-mile before stopping on Holland Place, where he allegedly died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Police later located his vehicle with the engine still running and discovered his body inside.
According to investigators, McLean had previously lived at the Curry Court residence and had recently been evicted from the property.
Officials have not disclosed whether Nesmith was the landlord.
Two other individuals who were inside the home when the shooting occurred were not injured.
Authorities also revealed that McLean was allegedly involved in a separate shooting incident in nearby Southampton Township just minutes before the fatal encounter in Lumberton.
Just before 4 p.m., New Jersey State Police responded to reports of gunfire on New Road in Southampton.
Prosecutors said McLean was speaking with an acquaintance when he allegedly pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots. The intended victim was not struck and was unharmed.
The shootings remain under investigation by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, Lumberton Police Department, Southampton Township Police Department, and the New Jersey State Police.