During the discussion, a man entered his home and took a gun, police said.
A fight that broke out over snow removal allegedly led a Pennsylvania man to shoot two of his neighbors to death, officials said.
The fatal armed violence occurred in Plains Township, about 24 kilometers southwest of Scranton, after 60 centimeters of snow covered the area, officials said.
Just before 9 am on Monday, Plains Township officers responded to a report of shots fired in a residential neighborhood and discovered James Goy, 50, and his wife, Lisa Goy, 48, killed on the street in front of her home, according to a joint statement by Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis and Plains Township Police Chief Dale Binker.
Residents in the area directed police officers to a house across the street from the Goys’ house, but when they approached the front door, a shot rang out, officials said. Inside the house, police found James Spaide, 47, dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, officials said.
Neighbors told investigators that Spaide and the Goys were involved in a long-running rivalry that reached boiling point on the snowiest day of the year.
“The Goys were shoveling snow from their parking spaces, shoveling snow from the road and throwing snow on Spaide’s property,” said Salavantis and Binker in their statement.
Witnesses told investigators that Spaide asked the couple to stop, prompting a heated exchange of words. James Goy apparently threw a tool at Spaide that he was using to clear snow from his car, according to the statement. When James Goy approached Spaide with a raised fist, Spaide reportedly retreated into his home and fetched a weapon, officials said.
“The Goys started shouting at him and, using profanity, the parties cursed themselves,” Salavantis and Binker said in their statement, adding that the episode was captured on surveillance video. “Mr. Goy then threatened Spaide and is seen making obscene gestures at him. Seconds later, Spaide returns holding a gun.”
Authorities said that despite having seen Spaide with a gun, James and Lisa Goy continued to shout names at him in the middle of the street.
Spaide reportedly opened fire on the couple, shooting them both several times. Authorities said Spaide returned to his home and picked up another firearm, which he would have used to shoot them again.