Police: Husband shoots wife, believing she was an intruder
YORK, Pa. — A 78-year-old woman was shot inside her home early Saturday morning by her husband, who thought she was an intruder, according to Pennsylvania State Police.
Joan Reichard was in stable condition at York Hospital with what police described as a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the chest.
The shooting was said to be a "pure" accident, according to Trooper Brent Miller, a state police spokesman.
Reichard and her husband were the only two at the Red Lion home at the time, police said.
Reichard's husband called 911 at around 3:30 a.m. and reported that he had accidentally shot his wife, believing she was an intruder, police said.
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Reichard was shot inside a bathroom with a small handgun, Miller said. He said "something startled" the husband, but he did not have any more details on what led up to the shooting.
Miller said the husband suffers from medical issues and attributed those as a factor in the shooting.
State investigators were discussing the shooting with the York County District Attorney's Office on Saturday morning but said the department was leaning against criminal prosecution.
Miller said he is not releasing the husband's name until word comes back from the DA's office.
"It's obviously a sad situation," Miller said.
Neighbors described Reichard and her husband as the ever-active, friendly couple on the block.
"They're the nicest people," said Sandra McCarthy, 55, who lives across the street.
McCarthy was awakened by flashing police lights around 3:30 a.m. She said she saw Reichard taken out of the home by medical technicians.
"It's a shame," McCarthy said. "Everybody's just very surprised."