COOLBAUGH TWP., Pa. – Police are investigating a series of shootings in a community in Poconos on Monday night.
Four people were injured after several shootings at various locations in Coolbaugh Township, Monroe County.
“We are still trying to classify exactly what we have. There are many answers that I do not know or that I cannot give for investigative purposes now,” said Pocono Mountain regional police chief Chris Wagner during a press conference on Monday night. -market.
The first shots rang out shortly after 5 pm. Police were called in for a report of several shots fired at a vehicle in the area of Route 196, near the Tobyhanna Shopping Center, according to a press release issued by Wagner.
“As the police began to respond to that location, in a short succession, in a very short period of time, we began to receive other calls related to additional shootings in the municipality,” said Wagner.
While the police investigated, they heard quick shots in the area and were called to 5330 Ledgewood Street, where two victims were found. A 47-year-old woman was shot in the back and a 19-year-old man was shot in the arm, Wagner said. Both injuries are believed to have been caused by a high-speed shot.
At the same time, police received another call and found a 20-year-old man in a vehicle near the intersection of Kings Way and Route 196, with what appeared to be a gunshot to the head, Wagner said.
The police then received an additional dispatch from a vehicle accident at the intersection of Kings Way and Campbell Drive. There, they found a 20-year-old man inside the vehicle who had been shot in the leg at another residence within the Pocono Farms East development.
Wagner said the conditions of the victims are unknown, but he knows that the woman who was shot in the back was taken to a trauma center, he said.
Wagner said the police are interviewing people interested in the case and that authorities are requesting warrants to allow them to search homes and vehicles. No charges have been filed yet, he said during the press conference.
“We are looking for several people, the exact number that I cannot provide at this time,” said Wagner.
There were several witnesses, who are also being interviewed, he said.
Police are working on the premise that the shootings are connected, according to the Monroe County Emergency Management Office.
The police asked the local community to shelter on site and expect high police activity in the Route 196 corridor area, the Pocono Country Place development and the Pocono Farms East development.
Police withdrew the shelter recommendation at the scene on Tuesday morning, according to the county Emergency Management Office, saying the investigation is ongoing, but the police do not believe the public is in imminent danger.
Residents must report any suspicious activity or information relevant to the shootings by calling the Regional Police of Pocono Mountain at 570-895-2400.
The police suspended the shelter in order for Coolbaugh Township. pic.twitter.com/VOcLyXDWv2
– Monroe County OEM (@MonroeCtyOEM) January 19, 2021