Police identified the gunman who shot and killed jewelry store owner Roy T. Devoe at his township shop yesterday as Michael J. Koury, 19, a resident of Bridgewater and a 2010 graduate of Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School.

Police said after shooting the store owner, Koury then shot at but missed Devoe's adult daughter as she fled from the store.

The teenage gunman then committed suicide by first firing one round from the same .357 caliber Smith and Wesson revolver into his jaw causing significant injuries to the lower part of his mouth. He then cut his throat using a stainless steel 9-inch knife that he had previously secured in a plastic sheath strapped to his right thigh.Koury finally fired one last round into his own head ending the deadly ordeal.

A suicide note was discovered at Koury's residence, police said.

Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey D. Soriano gives the following account:
On Monday, February 7, at about 4:45 p.m., Bridgewater Police responded to the Roy T. Jewelry store, 726 Route 202, after receiving a 9-1-1 call reporting shots fired.

Responding officers found store owner Roy T. Devoe, 55, of Baptist Church Road in Hampton suffering from a gunshot wound to his head. Police also found Koury, the gunman, dead with gunshot wounds to his head also inside the store.

Officers immediately began life-saving measures on Devoe, who was transported to Somerset Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased.

Detectives discovered through investigation and witness interviews that the gunman, who was disguised, walked through the jewelry store's front door, and immediately upon entering, brandished a .357 caliber Smith and Wesson revolver and confronted the adult daughter of the store owner. The gunman demanded jewelry and threatened to shoot the woman if she didn't cooperate.

Her father then confronted the gunman who fired one round from the revolver striking Devoe in the head and fatally wounding him. The gunman then turned his attention towards the daughter and fired a round at her as she fled from the jewelry store.

The gunman then turned the gun on himself firing one round into his jaw causing significant injuries to the lower part of his mouth. He then cut his throat using a stainless steel 9-inch knife that he previously had secured in a plastic sheath strapped to his right thigh. The gunman finally fired one last round into his head ending the deadly ordeal.
The revolver and the knife were recovered at the scene next to the gunman.