2014 Pennsylvania State Police barracks attack

Last updated
2014 Pennsylvania State Police barracks attack
Location Blooming Grove, Pike County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DateSeptember 12, 2014 (2014-09-12)
10:50 p.m. EDT
Target Pennsylvania State Troopers
Attack type
 Murder by shooting, domestic terrorism
Weapons .308-caliber rifle
Deaths1 (Cpl. Bryon Dickson)
Injured1 (Tpr. Alex Douglass)
Perpetrator Eric Matthew Frein
MotiveAttempting to start a revolution
Verdict Guilty on all counts
Convictions
Sentence Death

On September 12, 2014, during a shift change at the Pennsylvania State Police barracks in Blooming Grove Township, two state troopers were shot with a .308 caliber rifle. One trooper died at the scene and another was taken to a hospital where he recovered. Eric Frein was identified by the police as the only suspect in the case, and led the police on a weeks-long manhunt. He was eventually captured at an abandoned airport hangar on October 30, and charged with terrorism, murder, and attempted murder. Frein was convicted of all charges in April 2017, and subsequently sentenced to death.

Contents

Attack

At 10:50 p.m. [1] on September 12, 2014, a shift change was commencing outside the Troop R barracks of the Pennsylvania State Police in the Pocono Mountains in the Township of Blooming Grove, Pennsylvania. At that moment, a sniper opened fire with a .308-caliber rifle. [2] One trooper was killed by the gunfire and a second was injured, but survived. [3] [4] [5]

Four shots were fired within 90 seconds, from a distance of 82 yards (75 m) in a position at the edge of the nearby woods, before the shooter fled further into the wooded area. [6] One trooper was shot trying to help the other, prompting him to crawl back to safety, where he was aided by two other troopers. [7]

Victims

Perpetrator

Wanted Poster accompanying the FBI Press Release announcing the capture of Eric Matthew Frein on October 30, 2014 Frein twitter103014.jpg
Wanted Poster accompanying the FBI Press Release announcing the capture of Eric Matthew Frein on October 30, 2014

Eric Matthew Frein was identified as the main suspect of the attack after the discovery of an abandoned 2001 Jeep Cherokee three days after the event. [4] [5] [9] The vehicle was traced back to his parents, and multiple pieces of evidence, including bullet casings matched to the attack, were discovered inside. [2] [10] He led authorities on a manhunt after the shootings, eventually being placed on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. [11] [12]

Frein was described by police as a "self-taught survivalist" with a grudge against law enforcement personnel. [13] At the time of the attack, he was a reenactor who acted in a variety of roles, most often Serbian soldiers. [4] In 2008, Frein founded Istocni Vuk or "Eastern Wolf", whose Myspace page pictured Frein engaged in recreational military simulations as a Serbian soldier. [14]

The police manhunt, initially involving nearly 200 officers by September 17, [10] grew to nearly 1,000 on September 24. [15] Law enforcement officers included local police; state police forces from Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey; [16] Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Marshals Service; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. [17] Frein was seen several times during the manhunt, but each time, officers were unable to approach him directly due to the rugged terrain of the area, which allowed Frein to escape. They subsequently believed Frein was taunting them during the manhunt. [15] A colleague from the MilSim group "Red Alliance" suggested that "If he's re-enacting anyone, it's Rambo from the very first movie," referring to the character of John Rambo in First Blood . [18]

Frein was captured by U.S. Marshals near Birchwood-Pocono Airpark, an abandoned airfield [19] approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) ENE of Tannersville, on October 30, 48 days after the shooting. [20] At the time of his arrest, he was unarmed, [21] but a .308-caliber rifle and a pistol were recovered afterward. He was arrested without incident [22] [23] and restrained using handcuffs belonging to Dickson. [24] [25] The day after his capture, he was charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder in the attack. [26]

Although Frein did not resist arrest, he suffered a cut to the bridge of his nose, as well as a scrape over his left eye and bruises to his cheeks and eyes. [27] [28] The U.S. Marshals claim this occurred while he was lying on the ground during his arrest. [28] [29] The Pennsylvania State Police, however, claim these injuries occurred while he was on the run. [30] [31]

Aftermath

On October 1, following discovery of two pipe bombs, all hunting and trapping on public or private land and all access to state gameland was forbidden in the shaded areas. The blue-shaded area was reopened on October 10. The green-shaded area was reopened October 21, after two sightings of Frein in Paradise Township, while the yellow remained under the hunting/trapping ban and gameland closures. Frein County PA.png
On October 1, following discovery of two pipe bombs, all hunting and trapping on public or private land and all access to state gameland was forbidden in the shaded areas. The blue-shaded area was reopened on October 10. The green-shaded area was reopened October 21, after two sightings of Frein in Paradise Township, while the yellow remained under the hunting/trapping ban and gameland closures.

After the attack, the Troop R barracks were immediately closed down for crime scene investigators to process it, and for repairs to windows shattered by gunfire. Trooper operations were temporarily handled at the barracks in Honesdale, about 20 miles (32 km) away. On November 12, 2014, two months after the attack, the barracks were reopened, with all but three employees (Alex Douglass and two others) returning to work. [6]

Frein was indicted on a total of twelve charges, including terrorism and first-degree murder. He pleaded not guilty to all charges during his video arraignment on January 29, 2015. Prosecutors sought the death penalty. [38]

Douglass, who suffered a gunshot wound to the pelvis, was taken to Geisinger Medical Center for treatment and was classified to be in stable but critical condition. [8] [39] Partially paralyzed by his injuries, he underwent sixteen surgeries at a New York City hospital in an effort to walk on his own again. In May 2015, his family announced that they forgave Frein for the shooting. [6] [40] Also in May 2015, Douglass shared his experience of being shot. [7]

On April 19, 2017, Frein was convicted on all 12 counts, including first-degree murder. On April 27, 2017, Frein was sentenced to death by lethal injection and sent to Pennsylvania's death row.

Reactions

Governor Tom Corbett released a statement after the attack, saying, "Every attack on an officer of the law is an attack on our state, our country and civilized society." He also ordered all state flags at the Pennsylvania State Capitol and commonwealth facilities to be flown at half-staff. [1]

State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan called the attack "cowardly" and said, "It cuts us to the core that such an event could happen." [1]

Congressman Tom Marino (R–10th) expressed his condolences to the victims and their families, and also condemned the attack, supporting the officers in their manhunt for the shooter. [41]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brockway, Pennsylvania</span> Borough in Pennsylvania, United States

Brockway is a borough in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,072 at the 2010 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blooming Grove Township, Pike County, Pennsylvania</span> Township in Pennsylvania, United States

Blooming Grove Township is a township in Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,421 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Liberation Army</span> American underground, black nationalist militant organization

The Black Liberation Army (BLA) was an underground Marxist-Leninist, black-nationalist militant organization that operated in the United States from 1970 to 1981. Composed of former Black Panthers (BPP) and Republic of New Afrika (RNA) members who served above ground before going underground, the organization's program was one of war against the United States government, and its stated goal was to "take up arms for the liberation and self-determination of black people in the United States." The BLA carried out a series of bombings, killings of police officers and drug dealers, robberies, and prison breaks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sundiata Acoli</span> American political activist

Sundiata Acoli is an American political activist who was a member of the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army. He was sentenced to life in prison in 1974 for murdering a New Jersey state trooper. Acoli was granted parole in 2022 at the age of 85.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ralph "Bucky" Phillips</span> American murderer

Ralph James "Bucky" Phillips is a convicted murderer from Western New York caught on September 8, 2006, by the Pennsylvania State Police. A warrant was issued for his arrest following the shooting of three New York State troopers, one of whom died from their wounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murder of Russel Timoshenko</span> 2007 murder of a New York City police officer

Russel Timoshenko was a 23-year-old New York Police Department (NYPD) police officer who was shot on July 9, 2007, and died five days later, after pulling over a stolen BMW automobile in New York City's Crown Heights, Brooklyn, neighborhood. After a four-day manhunt that stretched across three states, all three suspects Dexter Bostic, Robert Ellis and Lee Woods were eventually apprehended and convicted—two of murder, and the third for weapons possession. At his widely attended funeral, Timoshenko was posthumously promoted to the rank of Detective. The case garnered national media attention because the weapons used were all illegally obtained handguns. This sparked widespread debate over gun control laws in New York City, and over the process by which firearms are traced by police departments.

Shelter-in-place is the act of seeking safety within the building one already occupies, rather than evacuating the area or seeking a community emergency shelter. The American Red Cross says the warning is issued when "chemical, biological, or radiological contaminants may be released accidentally or intentionally into the environment" and residents should "select a small, interior room, with no or few windows, taking refuge there."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tel Aviv gay centre shooting</span> 2009 shooting at an Israeli gay centre that resulted in two deaths

The Tel Aviv gay centre shooting resulted in the deaths of two people and injuries to at least fifteen others at the Tel Aviv branch of the Israeli LGBT Association, at the "Bar-Noar", on Nahmani Street, on August 1, 2009. A 26-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl were killed. Three deaths were mentioned in earlier reports of the incident but one has since been discounted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murder of Darrell Lunsford</span> 1991 murder of a Texas constable

On January 23, 1991, in Garrison, Texas, police officer Constable Darrell Lunsford pulled over a suspicious vehicle. Inside the vehicle were three men transporting marijuana from Texas to Illinois. After Lunsford requested to search the trunk of the vehicle, the men exited the car, tackled Lunsford, beat, stabbed, and shot him after a struggle. They then drove off after killing him. Lunsford's dashboard camera in his police cruiser recorded the murder. Footage of the murder is used in law enforcement training. The date of the murder has been described as one of the most infamous dates in the history of Texas law enforcement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christopher Dorner shootings and manhunt</span> 2013 murders in California

Christopher Jordan Dorner was a former officer of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) who, beginning on February 3, 2013, committed a series of killings against the LAPD in Orange County, Los Angeles County, Riverside County and San Bernardino County in the U.S. state of California. The victims were law enforcement officers and the daughter of a retired police captain. Dorner killed four people and wounded three others. On February 12, Dorner was fatally shot during a standoff with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department after a shootout in the San Bernardino Mountains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Moncton shootings</span> Shootings of five police in Canada

The Moncton shootings were a string of shootings that took place on June 4, 2014, in Moncton, in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. Justin Bourque, a 24-year-old Moncton resident, shot five officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), killing three and severely injuring two. A manhunt for Bourque was launched and continued overnight and into June 5. On June 6, Bourque was found and taken into custody, ending a manhunt that lasted over 28 hours. The shooting was both Moncton's first homicide since 2010 and the deadliest attack on the RCMP since the Mayerthorpe tragedy in 2005, which left four RCMP officers dead. Bourque intended for the shootings to trigger a rebellion against the Canadian government.

<i>The Hunt with John Walsh</i> American television series

The Hunt with John Walsh is an American investigation/documentary series that debuted on CNN on July 13, 2014. The series is hosted by John Walsh. The second season premiered on July 12, 2015, and the third season premiered on June 19, 2016. The fourth season premiered on CNN's sister station, HLN, on July 23, 2017. A successor to the show, In Pursuit with John Walsh was announced in early 2018. It premiered in January 2019 on Investigation Discovery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Frein</span> American fugitive on death row

Eric Matthew Frein is an American domestic terrorist and murderer, convicted and sentenced to death for the 2014 Pennsylvania State Police barracks attack in which he shot and killed one State Trooper, and seriously injured another. A letter to his parents made it clear that he hoped to spark a revolution by his actions.

Frank Noonan was formerly State Police Commissioner for the Pennsylvania State Police. Noonan began his career in 1971 as an agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Following his retirement from the FBI in 1998, Noonan was appointed as Northeast Regional Director for the Attorney General's Bureau of Narcotics Investigation. After 11 years as Regional Director, Noonan was promoted to Chief of Criminal Investigations for the Office of Attorney General in July 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danilo Cavalcante</span> Brazilian murderer and formerly escaped convict (born 1989)

Danilo Souza Cavalcante, is a Brazilian national accused of murder in the Brazilian state of Tocantins and a convicted murderer in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. After originally being wanted by Brazilian authorities for his alleged role in the shooting death of Valter Júnior Moreira dos Reis in 2017, Cavalcante fled to the United States. Four years later, in April 2021, Cavalcante was arrested for fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend, Deborah Brandão.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Payne, Ed; Berlinger, Joshua (September 13, 2014). "Pennsylvania state trooper dies in shooting; another wounded". CNN. Archived from the original on September 15, 2016. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  2. 1 2 The Morning Call (September 19, 2014). "After shots are reported, residents within miles of Eric Frein home ordered to get inside - The Morning Call". themorningcall.com. Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
  3. ↑ Ambush suspect was former Northampton Community College student Archived 2016-08-19 at the Wayback Machine , The Express-Times , September 17, 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 Matt Assad and Peter Hall (October 1, 2014). "No warning signs in ordinary life of trooper slaying suspect". Morning Call. Archived from the original on December 17, 2015. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  5. 1 2 Pennsylvania suspect in police killing belonged to 'military simulation unit' Archived 2016-09-27 at the Wayback Machine , The Guardian , September 17, 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 Sheehan, Dan (November 12, 2014). "Two months to day of sniper shooting, Blooming Grove barracks reopens". The Morning Call. Archived from the original on October 10, 2016. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 "Shot Pa. trooper: 'I crawled on my arms, dragged my legs'". WPVI-TV. May 21, 2015. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  8. 1 2 Alcindor, Yamiche (September 13, 2014). "Pa. police: 1 trooper dead, another injured in shooting". USA Today. Archived from the original on October 11, 2016. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  9. ↑ Brendan Gibbons (September 18, 2014). "Game Commission tracking team hunting for Frein". Times-Tribune. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  10. 1 2 Holly Yan, Greg Botelho and Chelsea J. Carter (September 17, 2014). "Trooper shooting suspect might try to target more officers, police say". CNN. Archived from the original on August 28, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  11. ↑ "FBI — ERIC MATTHEW FREIN". FBI. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
  12. ↑ "FBI adds Frein to 10 Most Wanted list". The Philadelphia Inquirer . September 20, 2014. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Day 9 Of Manhunt For PA Barracks Shooting Suspect Eric Frein". KYW-TV. The Associated Press. September 21, 2014. Archived from the original on June 4, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Istocni Vuk Photos on Myspace". Myspace. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  15. 1 2 Rheanna Murray (September 24, 2014). "U.S. Accused Cop Killer Eric Frein Repeatedly Appears, Then Eludes Manhunt". Good Morning America/ABC News. Archived from the original on August 26, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  16. ↑ "The hunt for Eric Frein". Pocono Record. September 28, 2014. Archived from the original on September 29, 2014. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  17. ↑ Holly Yan (September 22, 2014). "Pennsylvania trooper killing: Who is suspect Eric Frein?". CNN. Archived from the original on August 28, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  18. ↑ Rheanna Murray (September 19, 2014). "U.S. Accused Cop Shooter Eric Frein Reenacting Rambo, Colleague Suggests". ABC News. Archived from the original on August 26, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Accused Trooper Shooter Eric Frein in Police Custody After 48 Day Manhunt". WCAU-TV . October 30, 2014. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  20. ↑ Ivey DeJesus (October 31, 2014). "Eric Frein surrendered to U.S. marshals, did not put up a fight, state police said". PennLive/The Patriot News. Archived from the original on August 29, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  21. ↑ Michael Rubinkam (October 31, 2014). "Captured: Manhunt Ends for Trooper Ambush Suspect". ABC News. Archived from the original on November 2, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  22. ↑ Dana Ford (October 30, 2014). "FBI most-wanted suspect Eric Frein in custody - CNN.com". CNN. Archived from the original on November 2, 2014. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
  23. ↑ Winter, Tom; Johnson, M. Alex (October 30, 2014). "Authorities Capture Accused Cop Killer Eric Frein". NBCNews.com . Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  24. ↑ "Trooper ambush suspect Eric Frein taken in handcuffs of murdered officer". Fox News. October 21, 2014. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  25. ↑ "Eric Frein Captured: Accused Cop Killer In Custody, Police Say". The Huffington Post. October 30, 2014. Archived from the original on November 13, 2014. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
  26. ↑ McGraw, Seamus (31 October 2014). "Eric Frein, Suspect in Killing of Pennsylvania State Trooper, Appears in Court". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 4 November 2014. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  27. ↑ Debbie Truong (October 31, 2014). "Quiet, bruised Eric Frein denied bail after brief arraignment on trooper killing charges". PennLive/The Patriot News. Archived from the original on September 19, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  28. 1 2 Ralph Iannotti (October 31, 2014). "Community Breathes Sigh Of Relief After Frein's Capture". CBS Pittsburgh. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  29. ↑ Laura McCrystal and Ben Finley (October 31, 2014). "Investigator: Frein 'fully' expected capture". philly.com. Archived from the original on December 26, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  30. ↑ TOM LLAMAS and RHEANA MURRAY (October 31, 2014). "Accused Cop Killer Eric Frein's Dramatic First Court Appearance After Capture". ABC News. Archived from the original on August 26, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  31. ↑ Sasha Goldstein (October 31, 2014). "Eric Frein arraigned following capture 7 weeks after allegedly murdering Pa. state trooper". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on August 26, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  32. ↑ "Game Commission bans hunting in manhunt search". WFMZ-TV. October 1, 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-11-13. Retrieved 2016-08-25.
  33. ↑ "Manhunt places hunting seasons on hold". Pennsylvania State Game Commission. October 1, 2014. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  34. ↑ Dan Ratchford (October 10, 2010). "Hunting restrictions lifted in part of search area". WNEP. Archived from the original on October 11, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  35. ↑ "Hunting seasons restored in parts of Pike County". Pennsylvania Game Commission. October 10, 2014. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  36. ↑ "Pa. lifts hunting ban in all of Pike County". The Sentinel. October 21, 2014. Archived from the original on January 4, 2017. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  37. ↑ "Hunting seasons restored in entirety of Pike County". Pennsylvania Game Commission. October 21, 2014. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  38. ↑ Julia Talanova (January 30, 2015). "Eric Frein pleads not guilty in state trooper's death". CNN. Archived from the original on August 28, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  39. ↑ Chappell, Bill (September 13, 2014). "2 Troopers Shot At Pennsylvania State Police Barracks". NPR. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  40. ↑ Tatenbaum, Michael (September 12, 2015). "One year after fatal ambush on Pa. State Police barracks, Frein trial still looms". Philly Voice. Archived from the original on September 18, 2016. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  41. ↑ Kelley, Amanda (September 13, 2014). "UPDATE: One Trooper Killed In Shooting At State Police Barracks". WNEP. Archived from the original on August 21, 2016. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.