Matawan Woman, 19, Fatally Shot In Atlanta: Report

ATLANTA, GA — A young woman originally from Matawan was shot and killed last Wednesday in Atlanta, a CBS news outlet in Atlanta reported.

The woman is Justine Bernard and she was 19 years old at the time she was killed. According to their report, Bernard was arguing with another woman, who police said then shot her.

Bernard drove herself to the ambulance entrance of an Atlanta hospital, but later died in the hospital.

Nyasia Reeves, 20, was arrested and charged with her death. She is charged with murder and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony; she remains in jail in Georgia.

Bernard graduated from Matawan Regional High School.

Bernard's death was confirmed by the college she attended, the University of New Haven, which she was planning to graduate from in 2023 with a major in psychology. She had just finished her freshman year there, where she made the dean's list, according to this GoFundMe set up to help pay for her funeral expenses.

The school called Bernard's death "a senseless and horrific act of violence."

"A resident of Matawan, N.J., she died on Wednesday from injuries sustained in a shooting in Atlanta, where she was visiting with friends," wrote the university in this memorial page for her. "Justine’s adviser Lillie Macias, an assistant professor of psychology, said Justine was a strong student who was very engaged in her classes. 'She was motivated and curious, and she was interested in learning and in helping others,' she said."

The school said Bernard "was developing a deep interest in criminal justice and in forensic psychology" and that she had recently registered for upcoming fall classes that would have had her working with youth in the criminal justice system.

Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. this Saturday, June 12 at Waitt Funeral Home 501 Route 79, Morganville from 10 a.m. to noon. A celebration of Justine's life will begin at 10:30 a.m. You can read her obituary here: https://www.oldbridgefh.com/ob...

“From the moment I first met Justine as an incoming first-year student at orientation, she left a significant impression,” said Linda Copney-Okeke, of the university's Accessibility Resources Center, the university's post. “She was a fiercely independent young woman who was so full of excitement to be starting her academic career, making friends, and looking to the future. Justine was a vibrant young woman who overcame obstacles and lived life with passion.”

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