Grief For NJ Mass Shooting Victim Who Came To America For Nursing

FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP, NJ — Each day, Asia Hester took the long trip from Bridgeton to Jefferson Health Care in Washington Township to care for the sick and elderly. She came to America from Kingston, Jamaica, to pursue a career in health care, and she didn't miss a beat during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Asia truly had a heart of gold," Nurse Tiffany Kowalchick, one of Hester's co-workers, told Patch in an email. "Asia would notify us (her coworkers) if she noticed a decline in someone’s condition or felt that someone may be in danger by acting unusual or seeing changes in their vitals (a precursor to danger such as sepsis, heart attacks, coding, stroke, etc). She wasn’t just a coworker though, she was part of our healthcare family.

Now, the Jefferson family and Hester's friends and family are mourning the loss of her life, one of three people who were killed in what has been labelled a “mass shooting” in Cumberland County that happened over the weekend.

Hester, 25 and Kevin L. Elliott, 30, also of Bridgeton, as well as Braylin Holmes, 19, of Millville were identified as the two victims who were killed in Saturday night’s shooting in Farifield Township.

Hester was a Patient Care Tech at Jefferson Health’s Washington Township campus, according to a statement from the health care system.

“Asia was a very hard worker and took great care of our patients. She truly lived our values,” Jefferson Health MS-1 Nurse Manager Vibette Robles said. “When she was working, I knew our patients were well cared for. She had a sweet personality, and everyone liked her.”

The Kingston, Jamaica native graduated from Rowan College of South Jersey’s Cumberland Campus, according to her Facebook account. She began working at Jefferson Health in November 2017.

“It’s a stunning loss for the Jefferson family, and we send our condolences and prayers to her family during this devastating time,” the health care system said in the statement.

Their thoughts were echoed by an outpouring of tributes that were posted to social media:

“Senseless is what it is,” one friend wrote of Hester’s death on social media. “I will never be able to figure out what makes a person blindly squeeze the trigger of a gun and kill people they didn't mean to kill.”

“I'm so sad to hear this news. Asia, I've watched you grow up and become a beautiful young woman inside and out! I'm so sorry this crazy person took your life away. May he get what is coming to him. God has another plan for you. Praying for your family. Also sending condolences to the young man's family who was killed too and healing Prayers for everyone injured.”

“Asia was my student. She was just sweet and kind. I am heartbroken for her family. Praying hard this type of violence stops!”

“So sorry your life was taken so tragically may you RIP beautiful.”

“RIP such a beautiful woman so sad my condolences to the family of all the victims in this senseless shooting.”

“Long Live Asia Hester.”

“Heaven couldn’t wait for you, Asia Hester.”

Less is known about Elliott’s background, but one friend described him to the New York Post as “a good kid who’d made his peace with life and had trouble with nobody. He showed up to a party to celebrate a happy occasion, and ended up dead. I can’t make sense of it.”

The other 12 victims — one of whom was in critical condition — range in age from 19 to 35, authorities said. Some who suffered minor injuries have already been released from the hospital.

The Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office said Kevin K. Dawkins, 36, of Bridgeton was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and other gun charges in connection with Saturday night's incident. He has been lodged in the Cumberland County Jail awaiting a pre-trial detention hearing.

Authorities expect other arrests to be made in the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call the New Jersey State Police Bridgeton Station at 856-451-0101 or submit a tip via the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office tip website at www.njccpo.org/tips. Anonymous tips are welcome.