‘I’m Bleeding To Death’: New Jersey Wife & Husband Status Update Following Neighborhood Shooting

A peaceful afternoon in Berkeley Township, New Jersey, took a horrifying turn when a neighbor reportedly shot a couple. This left them both with life-threatening injuries before ending his own life.

Jill Kwatkoski, one of the victims, made a frantic 911 call after she and her husband, Tom Kwatkoski, were allegedly shot by their neighbor, John Adamo, 54. In the call, which was shared by NBC, Jill’s voice shook with fear as she pleaded for help.

“Help, my neighbor, we got shot by our neighbor,” Jill said. She told the dispatcher that she believed her husband was dead outside and that she was in excruciating pain. “Please get the cops here, I’m bleeding to death. I can’t leave my kids,” she begged, describing the weapon used as a rifle.

Emergency responders arrived at the scene around 4:45 p.m. local time. Both Jill and Tom were rushed by helicopter to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where they remain in critical but stable condition. A spokesperson for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office said March 14 that Jill was stable, while Tom was still in critical condition as of March 12.

Police reports indicate that the altercation started outside the Kwatkoski home, where Adamo allegedly shot Tom before going back into his own house. Law enforcement, including a SWAT team and a crisis negotiation unit, quickly surrounded Adamo’s home in an effort to resolve the situation peacefully.

After two and a half hours, officers entered the residence and found Adamo dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. During the search of the home, authorities discovered a pressure cooker, which raised concerns about a potential explosive device. However, the New Jersey State Police Bomb Squad later confirmed that it was not dangerous.

The Kwatkoskis and Adamo had a long history of tension, according to neighbors. Joe Spicciatie, a neighbor, “They’ve been in a longtime dispute. I don’t know what brought it to that point. They have the cameras aimed at each other’s houses.” Another neighbor, Louie Pascalli, added, “We’re all friends in the neighborhood and, you know, we have parties together. [There was] always friction, but never anything serious like this.”

Local authorities revealed that police had been called to the homes of both parties multiple times over the past year, suggesting that tensions had been building before the tragic incident.

As the Kwatkoski family continues to recover from their injuries, the community is left to deal with the emotional fallout of a dispute that turned deadly. This heartbreaking event serves as a stark reminder of how quickly conflicts between neighbors can spiral out of control, even in close-knit communities.

Sources: The New York Post, People, NBC, CBS