Man Shot Woman After Holding Her Hostage In Somerset County Hotel: Officials

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, NJ — A Georgia man held a woman at gunpoint in front of her children in a Somerset County hotel room and shot her twice when she ran, officials said.

Eder Gelin, 39, of Douglasville Ga. was arrested on charges of attempted murder, kidnapping, endangering the welfare of a child, and two weapons charges.

Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald announced Gelin's arrest Monday in a joint news release with Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives John W. Fodor and Franklin Township Public Safety Director Quovella M. Maeweather.

On Sunday at 1:25 a.m., Franklin Township Police came to a hotel on World's Fair Drive. Officers found a 37-year-old woman with gunshot wounds to her hip and foot, officials said.

She told officers Gelin had shot her and that he was in the hotel. Officers arrested Gelin without incident and found a handgun at the scene, officials said.

The woman said she knew Gelin, and that he had become threatening and angry with her after drinking alcohol on Saturday evening. The victim told detectives Gelin held her at gunpoint inside the hotel for more than an hour, while her two children were there.

The woman said she was able to escape, and Gelin chased her and shot at her. The woman "is expected to survive her injuries," officials said. First responders treated her at the scene, then took her to a local hospital.

Gelin is in the Somerset County Jail, officials said.