In the early morning hours of a Sunday in Newark, New Jersey, a man of Indian origin named Brunton Bissesar Singh was walking to his job at the Pit Stop gas station on the 400 block of Roseville Avenue. At 55 years old, Singh was a familiar and well-liked figure in his community. Tragically, his routine walk to work was cut short when he was fatally shot shortly before 6 a.m.
A sad twist of fate had him running an hour late that day, as he had forgotten to set his clocks forward for Daylight Saving Time.
Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, Brunton Bissesar Singh had built a life for himself in the United States, though he had no family in the country. He diligently sent money back home to support his wife and son. In Newark, he found a sense of family and camaraderie among the members of the Health-Figure & Wellness nutrition club on Roseville Avenue. He was a daily visitor, enjoying a protein shake or a cup of tea while relaxing in front of the television. His absence was deeply felt by those who knew him as a friendly and popular member of their community.
The news of Singh's violent death sent shockwaves through his circle of friends and the broader community. In the wake of the tragedy, about 50 of his friends gathered in front of the nutrition center to hold a vigil and remember the man they considered family. The investigation into his murder was taken up by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office's Major Crimes and Homicide Task Force. At the time of the initial reports, no arrests had been made, and authorities had not released any information regarding a potential motive or any suspects in the senseless killing.
