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2nd Arrest Made, 3rd Victim Dies In South Jersey Birthday Party Shooting

A second person was arrested and a third victim died following a birthday party shooting over the weekend in Cumberland County, authorities announced.

Kevin Dawkins, left, and Darrell Dawkins.

Kevin Dawkins, left, and Darrell Dawkins.

Photo Credit: Cumberland County Jail

Darrell Dawkins, 30, of Bridgeton, was charged with unlawful possession of a handgun days after Kevin Dawkins, 36, was arrested on similar charges, New Jersey State Police said.

The younger Dawkins was not believed to be a shooter in the incident, in which 14 people were struck by gunfire.

Braylin Holmes, 19, of Millville City, died of injuries sustained in the shooting and was pronounced dead Monday night at Cooper University Hospital, police said. 

Kevin Elliot, 30, and Asia Hester, 25 -- both of Bridgeton -- were also killed in the shooting, authorities previously said. 

News reports say Hester was reportedly a healthcare worker who had moved to the U.S. from Jamaica.

NJ State Police Supt. Col. Patrick Callahan said his department received noise complaints around 11 p.m. at a house on King Drive in Fairfield.

Party-goers from that event are believed to have made their way to 1029 E. Commerce St., the colonel said.

A trooper completing a motor vehicle stop heard what he thought were fireworks or gunfire around 11:30 p.m., Callahan said. While the trooper responded to the scene, 911 dispatchers began getting reports of a shooting at that location, Callahan said.

"This was a birthday party turned deadly," the colonel said.

New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal called the shooting a targeted attack.

"A birthday party is supposed to be a joyous event not a target for those hell bent on inflicting harm on a community," New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy added.

"We cannot normalize what we saw. we will not stop fighting to protect our community."

Kevin Dawkins faces charges of unlawful possession of a handgun, possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, possession of a high-capacity magazine, and certain persons not to possess weapons were filed in Fairfield Township.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the New Jersey State Police Bridgeton Station at 856-451-0101 or submit a tip via the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office tipline at www.njccpo.org/tips. The New Jersey State Police has a database for witnesses to upload cell phone video captured during the incident. Go to 

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