Bucks Co. Mom Accused Of Shooting 2 Sons: Latest Updates

UPPER MAKEFIELD, PA — Newtown is reeling after authorities say a local mother shot her two young children in their beds Monday morning.

Trinh Nguyen's sons, ages nine and 13, remained on life support Tuesday, the Bucks County District Attorney's Office confirmed to Patch.

The boys are not expected to recover and will "give the gift of life" as organ donors, according to a news conference.

A Grieving Town

The event has been deeply traumatic for the community — and especially for students and families in the Council Rock School District, where both kids attended.

The school district released their names Tuesday: Jeffrey Tini, 13, and Nelson Tini, nine.

The community gathered in a vigil at Newtown Middle School Monday night to mourn.

"He was always ready to play and he was never sad at any moment," one friend told 6ABC of Jeffrey. "He was like the happiest kid I knew."

Nelson was a student at Sol Feinstone Elementary School. He was remembered by loved ones as "sweet and funny," the Bucks County Courier Times said.

"A tragic event is always difficult to process for all of us, especially our children," Acting Superintendent Susan Elliott wrote to the Council Rock community. She encouraged all to "pull together and support each other."

A Family Facing Eviction

According to a report in the Bucks County Courier Times, Nguyen and her children were facing eviction Tuesday from the duplex owned by her former sister-in-law, Corinna Tini-Melchiondo. Their portion of the home was going to be repossessed per a ruling from the Bucks County Court of the Common Pleas, the news organization said.

Nguyen, 38, owed $11,500 in rent, court documents obtained by the Courier Times detailed.

She and her ex-husband, Ed Tini, had lived in the home together since 2012, the news organization said. Their divorce was finalized in October of 2021, according to the Courier Times.

Photos on Nguyen's public Facebook page show her with her sons, appearing happy. She was even engaged in their school life at Council Rock, even writing in a Facebook group during the pandemic in support of reopening schools.

"Parents, please email the school board to let them know you want your child/children back in school in 5 days," she wrote in Oct. 2020. "Don't let others make the decision for you and your children. No one know and understand what is best for your child/children than YOU."

She added at the bottom: "Side note: if you don't like what you see here then just keep scrolling."

What Happened?

Police were called to the family's home on Timber Ridge Road around 7 a.m. Monday morning.

By that point, Nguyen had fled the scene, 22-year-old neighbor and former in-law Gianni Melchiondo told the Bucks County District Attorney's Office. She had given him a box of photographs for her ex-husband and then tried to shoot at him, after which he was able to subdue her and she left in her van, according to the news conference.

Then, his mother and law enforcement entered the home to find Nguyen's sons in their beds with gunshots to their heads.

They were brought to St. Mary Medical Center, where they await organ transplants.

Police put out a notice Monday morning that Nguyen was in the area in a white Toyota Sienna van, and was believed to be "armed and dangerous." She was arrested at the Washington Crossing United Methodist Church around 11:30 a.m. after those at the church alerted authorities to the van in their parking lot.

Nguyen was also brought to the hospital as she was suspected to be under the influence of drugs, the DA's office said.

She has been charged with four counts of felony attempted homicide and one count of possessing an instrument of crime.

"As the two victims remain on life support, awaiting organ donation, my heart breaks for the young lives taken too soon," State Senator Steve Santarsiero wrote Monday night. "The police and EMTs from Upper Makefield Township Police Department and the neighboring departments that provided support deserve our thanks and appreciation for all they did today, and all they do every day, in responding to crisis situations like this."

District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said he anticipates upgrading the charges soon, as the children are not expected to survive. He has not yet released a suspected motive in the shootings.

The Community Mourns

The Washington Crossing United Methodist Church has announced a vigil for the family Tuesday night at 7 p.m.

"We stand in solidarity with our community today at the news of this tragic event that has taken place," the church wrote online.

They added, "While the family involved in this heartbreaking event was not a part of our church family, we do pray for them as well as for our community."

The church will host its prayers of comfort at 1895 Wrightstown Rd in Washington Crossing, and said all are welcome to attend.