THOMPSON, SUSQUEHANNA CO. (WOLF) — A shooting in Susquehanna County on Thursday left two Pennsylvania State Troopers in the hospital, a woman shot dead, and the reported suspect killed by authorities.
Two Pennsylvania State Troopers were shot on Thursday while responding to a call in Susquehanna County, authorities said. The suspect, now identified, was shot and killed by other responding members of the Pennsylvania State Police.
WATCH | Pennsylvania State Police press conference on shooting. Watch below or on YouTube.
According to Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), the two troopers, identified as Trooper Joseph Perechinsky and Trooper William Jenkins, responded to a call along Route 171 in Thompson Township, in the northeastern part of the county.
Police stated that during the encounter, 61-year-old Carmine Faino, opened fire on the responding troopers, wounding them.
PSP Commissioner Col. Christopher Paris stated that troopers at the Gibson barracks received a report of shots fired in the area. Lori Wasko, a resident at 20141 Route 171, had been shot by Faino. The call was reported in by her partner, according to police.
Faino was a resident of 20034 Route 171. Paris said that the residences were several hundred yards away from one another. Wasko was shot in a vehicle in the general vicinity of the area.
When Perechinsky and Jenkins responded, they exited their vehicle and were “ambushed” from a great distance of tactical advantage, Paris said.
Paris said that throughout the assault, Faino fired several dozen rounds from a semi-automatic long rifle. Perechinsky was shot twice in the torso area. Jenkins was shot twice, once in each arm, according to Paris.
The two troopers sustained serious injuries as a result. One applied a tourniquet to another. They were airlifted to a Geisinger hospitals for emergency treatment.
READ MORE | Trooper ‘saved lives’ during ambush, shootout with now dead suspect, governor says
An EMT responding to the scene was shot at as their vehicle approached the scene. In an attempt to avoid gunfire, he veered the vehicle off the road and crashed before fleeing into the woods for safety. He was injured as a result of the crash.
Additional Pennsylvania State Police units responded in an attempt to set up a perimeter. A drone was set up to track Faino, but was shot down. Paris also said that Faino, at one point, was also sitting on a propane tank, which caused further concern.
After a response from the PSP Certified Emergency Response Team (CERT), Faino reportedly refused to comply, continued to be a threat and was, as a result, shot and killed by authorities.
A coordinated response by multiple Pennsylvania State Police units and local law enforcement agencies led to the establishment of a secure perimeter around the scene. The suspect was armed with a rifle, refused to comply with commands, and was ultimately shot and killed during the incident. There is no remaining threat to the public.
— Pennsylvania State Police
Both troopers are in stable condition, according to officials.
An investigation into the lethal use of force will be conducted.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro first commented on the shooting a short time after it happened while speaking to the public at an unrelated event in Bucks County. He said he and his wife Lori are sending their prayers.
Later that day, Shapiro met them in the hospital and spoke out on their bravery and resilience.
A FOX56 team at the scene reported a very heavy first responder presence that includes multiple ambulances, New York State Police, a Pennsylvania Game Warden, and sheriff’s deputies. A distraught bystander at the scene where media from NEPA and New York were gathered muttered, “This is not an area where this happens.”
READ MORE | Thompson community rattled by shooting of two Pennsylvania State Troopers
According to PennDOT, as a result of the shooting, Route 171 is closed in both directions between Main St. and Starruca Creek Road in Thompson and Bethel Hill Road and Chuch Hill Lake Road in Harmony Township.
Paris said that authorities across the area are still conducting a forensic investigation. Drivers are encouraged to avoid the area.
The Fraternal Order of Police #62, which represents Pennsylvania State Troopers under the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association, spoke out on the shooting.
In a 30-month time frame, Perechinsky and Jenkins are the fifth and sixth Pennsylvania State Troopers to be shot. One being fatal. Pennsylvania State Trooper Jacques Rougeau was gunned down in 2023 in central Pennsylvania.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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