1Killed, 3 Injured In Hill District Shooting

One person died and three were wounded in two shootings Sunday evening in the Hill District, authorities said.

Police at the Zone 2 Station on Centre Avenue heard gunfire from an area near Dinwiddie and Wick streets about 5:20 p.m. and went to investigate, Public Safety spokeswoman Sonya Toler said.

Officers found two men wounded at the scene and another dead with a wound in the torso on nearby Kearney Way, a tiny alley between Dinwiddie and the parking lot of a Shop ‘n Save grocery store.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man who died as Christopher Richardson, 20, of West Oakland.

Read more: http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/8113177-74/dinwiddie-wick-wounded#ixzz3WYC0WZar
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Two Wilkes-Barre Police Officers Assaulted By Drunken Driver

WILKES-BARRE, PA — A city police officer sustained a possible broken nose and another officer was punched in the face while arresting a suspected drunken driver early Sunday morning.

The incident happened on South Main Street near Ross Street when officers Daniel Roper and Erica Oswald stopped Steven Santiago, 33, for driving a vehicle without headlights.

During the traffic stop, Santiago exhibited signs of intoxication and was asked to exit his vehicle. While standing near the back of his car, Santiago refused to submit to a breath test, according to the criminal complaint.

Santiago admitted he consumed alcoholic beverages before he was stopped by police, the complaint says.

Read more:

http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/152641077/W-B-cops-assaulted-in-DUI-scuffle

Man Allegedly Threatened People In Downtown Wilkes-Barre With Crossbow

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WILKES-BARRE, PA — A man was arrested after he allegedly threatened people walking downtown with a loaded crossbow.

Police were dispatched to South Main Street at about 5:20 p.m. for a report of a male wearing a poncho and carrying a loaded crossbow.

Reports were made that the male had fired the crossbow at a moving vehicle and pointed it at several people.

Officers located the male, identified as Joseph Warnagiris, 29, of Wilkes-Barre, who had his hands hidden under his poncho, police said.

Read more: http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news-news/50705500/Man-allegedly-threatened-people-with-crossbow

Cops: Man Hands Them Pot At Sherman Hills, Leads Them On High-Speed Chase

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WILKES-BARRE — A New Jersey man faces a slew of charges and bail of $250,000 after he allegedly led police on a high-speed chase from the Sherman Hills apartment complex following a traffic stop.

Officers conducted a traffic stop on Bradley Ercel Burgess, of Bergin Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey, just after 7 p.m. Wednesday near Coal Street and Logan Court and detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from Burgess’ vehicle, police said.

Police asked Burgess what he was doing in Sherman Hills, and he told them he was visiting a friend. When asked if he had any marijuana in the vehicle, Burgess allegedly handed an officer a cigar packet and stated that it contained a small bag of marijuana, police said.

Read more:  http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news-news/50184160/Man-arrested-after-high-speed-chase-from-Sherman-Hills#.U_iwJPRDsxI

Five People Arrested In Buy/Bust Drug Stings In Wilkes-Barre

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WILKES-BARRE, PA — City police and state police troopers with the Vice and Narcotics Unit arrested five people in unrelated buy-bust drug stings on Wednesday.

According to the criminal complaints:

• Johnathan M. Simmons, 23, of Culver Street, Forty Fort, was charged with selling heroin in the area of North Grant Street and Amber Lane at about 12:55 p.m., which is in a school zone. Police had to stun Simmons with a Taser when he allegedly attempted to run away.

Simmons was charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal use of communication facility. He was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $50,000 bail.

Read more: http://timesleader.com/news/local-news-news/1384043/Five-people-arrested-in-buy-bust-drug-operations-in-Wilkes-Barre

Man Attacks West Pottsgrove Target Windows With Sledgehammer

English: Logo of Target, US-based retail chain (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WEST POTTSGROVE TOWNSHIP, PA — A man who reportedly had a dead snake on him smashed out windows at a Target with a sledgehammer before being shocked with a police stun gun Saturday afternoon.

Around 2:45 p.m. Saturday, the man, who was only identified Sunday as being 24-years-old and from Upper Pottsgrove, allegedly smashed windows at the front of a target in Upland Square using a sledgehammer.

He reportedly also had some kind of dead snake on his person and a source said the store was put on lockdown while police were called.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20140420/updated-man-attacks-west-pottsgrove-target-windows-with-sledgehammer

Lancaster Police Shoot, Kill Homeless Man On North Queen Street

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Lancaster city police said an officer shot and killed a homeless man who lunged at an officer Monday morning with a knife after they questioned him about urinating and exposing himself in public.

Police said they attempted to stun the man, who has not been identified, with a Taser but the charge had no effect on him.  After the man refused to drop his knife, an officer fired three shots at him and struck him once.

The man died a couple of hours later at Lancaster General Hospital.

District Attorney Craig Stedman, who reviewed video footage of the incident, said the shooting appeared to be “entirely justified” but that he had not reached a final conclusion.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/859735_Lancaster-police-shoot–kill-homeless-man-on-North-Queen-Street.html#ixzz2Vpd3pBUx

DA Calls Assault On Elderly Women In Clay Twp. One Of Lancaster County’s Most Heinous’ Crimes

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The young man accused of torturing three elderly women Friday in their Clay Township home was apprehended swiftly because of collaborative efforts among local police.

That was the message Monday from Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman, who led a press conference confirming a litany of charges against 22-year-old Dereck Taylor Holt, who is believed to have targeted the women solely because of his as yet unexplained hatred for members of the Mennonite faith.

“This is one of the most serious crimes that we’ve had in Lancaster County history, one of the most heinous crimes that didn’t result in a homicide,” Stedman said.

“I’ve been doing this for 20 years,” he said.

“To say that I’m shocked by this — we’re all shocked by this — is an understatement.”

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/794078_DA-calls-assault-on-elderly-women-in-Clay-Twp–one-of-county-s–most-heinous–crimes-.html#ixzz2FSJdUNjI

Mount Joy Borough Agrees To $900,000 Payment To Family Of Man Who Died In Taser Incident

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Mount Joy Borough Council  on Monday approved a $900,000 settlement agreement for the family of a man who died in 2010 after attempts to subdue him included repeated discharges from a police officer’s Taser.

The settlement will be paid to the family of Robert A. Neill Jr. by the borough’s insurance carrier, according to borough officials.

The borough’s insurance company recommended the settlement, according to a one-paragraph statement read by council President Chris Metzler.

The insurance company was not identified, and no other comments were made by members of council.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/788936_Mount-Joy-Borough-agrees-to–900-000-payment-to-family-of-man-who-died-in-Taser-incident-.html#ixzz2E7KMA9Gr