Manhunt for Pa. trooper shooter continues
The search for the suspect in the shooting death of a Pennsylvania State trooper headed into its third day Sunday, with federal investigators and authorities from New York and New Jersey joining a burgeoning manhunt and "hundreds" of interviews to be conducted.
Cpl. Byron Dickson, a seven-year veteran and married father of two young sons, was killed at about 10:50 p.m. Friday about 35 miles east of Scranton. Dickson, 38, and Trooper Alex Douglass, 31, were shot during a shift change in what police believe was an ambush targeting police.
Douglass remained in critical but stable condition Sunday following surgery for gunshot wounds at Scranton's Geisinger Medical Center. Calls to his parents home went unanswered.
Authorities are focusing their search efforts in eastern Pennsylvania, with the FBI and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives assisting the state probe.
"There has been an exhaustive search conducted by hundreds of members of law enforcement," said Lt. Colonel George Bivens. "We have canvassed the wooded areas, neighborhoods. We are convinced this individual is no longer in that immediate area."
Police are asking anyone with information to state police at 570-253-7126 or toll-free tipline 866-326-7256. The non profit group Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers is offering a $50,000 reward for tips about the shootings. It's asking anyone with information to call 800-4PA-TIPS or submit the tip online (http://bit.ly/1qOzY13).
"We've received many tips and they're being assigned (to investigators) as we speak,'' state police spokeswoman Connie Devens told USA Today Sunday. She said Jeffrey Dudek, described earlier as "a person of interest,'' had been questioned. Devens said hundreds of people are expected to be interviewed.
"He's still a person of interest, but no charges have been filed," Devens said.
Blooming Grove is a township of about 4,000 people about 35 miles east of Scranton. State police spokesman Trooper Adam Reed said the barracks cover most of Pike County, which runs along the Delaware River and borders New Jersey and New York.
"There's a lot of rural area up where they patrol," he said. "As the primary police force in the county, they're going to respond to anything and everything."
Gov. Tom Corbett ordered aPennsylvania flags at state facilities to fly at half-staff.
"The incident in Blooming Grove shows, once again, that our first responders face constant danger in order that the rest of us may live in peace and safety," Corbett said.
Wives of state troopers in Pike County have set up an on-line fund to help the troopers' families with a target of raising $25,000. So for, they've raised $6,625.
Contributing: Associated Press.
"We've received many tips and several are being followed up on as we speak, state police spokeswoman Toni Devons told Paste BN.