Police said that the accused, Om, was the one who called 911 that morning and when asked about who did it, Om stated, “It might be me”.

 New Delhi: A 23-year-old Indian student has been arrested and charged for allegedly murdering his grandparents and uncle inside a New Jersey condominium, police and US media reports said. The accused Om Brahmbhatt from Gujarat resided with the victims and was found at the residence when authorities arrived at the crime scene.

Married couple Dilipkumar Brahmbhatt and Bindu Brahmbhatt, both in their 70s were found shot to death in the second-floor apartment. Their son, Yashkumar Brahmbhatt, 38 was also found to have suffered multiple gunshot wounds. All were pronounced dead by the South Plainfield police which had reached Coppola Drive where the family lived on Monday morning.

The suspect was taken into custody for questioning at the scene and later charged. Om was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and second-degree weapon possession. He was taken to the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center pending a pre-trial detention hearing; it wasn’t immediately clear whether he had an attorney and a listed number for him couldn’t be found.

People close to the Brahmbhatt family in Anand said that Om had relocated to the US just about 18 months ago. They said that it was on the insistence of his maternal grandfather that Om moved to the US for further studies.

According to the complaint, the crime was committed with a handgun which Om confirmed to have  purchased online. Police said that Om was the one who called 911 that morning and when asked about who did it, officials say Om stated, “It might be me”.

It was not clear what led up to the shooting. A neighbour told NBC New York that it wasn’t the first time police had been called to the condo. “I didn’t really know them, I just know one time the police were there for a domestic violence call,” said neighbour Jim Short, who lives upstairs from the unit where the three people were found dead.

“Can happen anywhere but it is really creepy, it’s right downstairs.” The Traditions apartment complex, home to many young families who emigrated from India, is equipped with dozens of security cameras that neighbours hoped could help police.

“There’s cameras all over and there are cameras coming in and out of the complex and every building has cameras outside and inside the breezeway. So hopefully that can help,” said another neighbour, Victor Orozco.

An investigation led by the South Plainfield Police Department is ongoing. Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to call town police or the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.