A 40-year-old man and his mother-in-law were shot to death after a domestic dispute led to a shootout between the man and police at the family's Hamburg home, authorities said Sunday.
Jeremy Krieger fired a rifle at police after they pulled up to the house at 296 Chestnut St. Saturday night about 9, investigators said.
Police returned fire, and during the exchange Krieger fatally wounded his mother-in-law, Joan Wagner, 62, according to Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams.
Police again fired, but Krieger's father-in-law, Clayton Wagner, age unavailable, shot his gun inside the house and killed Krieger, Adams said.
"He shot the son-in-law in self-defense," the district attorney said. "The police officers didn't shoot anybody."
Adams said the shooting remains under investigation.
An autopsy performed Sunday in Reading Hospital determined that Wagner died of a single gunshot wound to her right arm and torso, Deputy Coroner Ronald C. Peters said.
He ruled the death a homicide. It was the second killing this year in Berks.
An autopsy on Krieger is scheduled this afternoon in the hospital, Peters said.
He pronounced Krieger and Wagner dead at the house Saturday night just after 10.
"This was a troubling scene," Adams said.
State police Lt. Thomas G. McDaniel, a lead investigator, said officers dealt with darkness, temperatures in the teens and gusty winds.
"You can only imagine what they faced," he said. "Seeing the muzzle flash and projectiles all around you."
A Hamburg police officer, who was not identified, rescued Krieger's wife, Jessica, age unavailable, as she ran outside, McDaniel said.
The Kriegers and their young son, who was not identified, and the Wagners lived in the house, investigators said.
No one else was injured.
Investigators gave this account:
A resident of the house, whose name was withheld by police, called 9-1-1 shortly before 9 p.m. and said there was a problem in the house.
"There was a family dispute, with the main aggressor being Jeremy Krieger," McDaniel said.
A Hamburg police officer and two state troopers pulled up to the house in two separate vehicles a few minutes later. They were immediately fired upon by Krieger, who held a rifle at the front doorway.
"There was a significant amount of gunfire from the suspect," McDaniel added. "Obviously, at close quarters, a rifle is extremely deadly."
Joan Wagner rushed out of the house during the gunfire. Her daughter and grandson also were outside.
Joan Wagner was struck by a bullet and died in the driveway.
"People were very much in flux, emotions were very high," McDaniel said.
Neighbor Jan A. Roberts said she listened, and tried to watch, from inside her house. She said she heard too many shots to count.
"It was an exchange like the Old West," she said.
Clayton Wagner shot Krieger as Krieger moved toward him, Adams said.
After obtaining a search warrant, police recovered the rifle from inside the house early Sunday. Adams said more information about the weapon will be released today.
Another neighbor, who declined to identify himself, said the gun appeared to be an M-1 semi-automatic.
Several cars in the block, including police vehicles, were damaged by bullets. Police could not estimate how many shots were fired.
No one was home at the house on Chestnut Street Sunday afternoon. A cluster of vehicles with shattered windows were parked in the driveway.
Roberts said she often saw the family walking in the neighborhood, and the men fixing cars for extra cash. She said the family had financial problems.
"They were very nice people, just lovely," she said.
The family lived on the block for about 25 years, Roberts said.
"We're all really distressed," she said. "We just hope everyone can turn the page in the house and live their lives."
Contact Brett Hambright: 610-371-5022 or bhambright@readingeagle.com. Read more at readingeagle.com |
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