Police respond to gunshots at Dry Tavern home
State police detained John Pochron III as a person of interest during the Dry Tavern standoff May 30. Pochron was charged Thursday in connection with the situation that brought a SWAT police response and closed Route 88 for hours.
Police respond to reports of shots fired at a home on Route 88 in Dry Tavern Tuesday.
Police respond to reports of shots fired at a home on Route 88 in Dry Tavern Tuesday.
State police vehicles line Route 88 in Dry Tavern as officers investigate a shooting situation Tuesday afternoon.
State police detained a man as a person of interest Tuesday afternoon in connection with the Dry Tavern shooting situation. Police would not comment as to who he is or his involvement.
A state police tactical vehicle is brought to the scene of the shooting in Dry Tavern.
State police vehicles line Route 88 in Dry Tavern as officers investigate a shooting situation Tuesday afternoon.
DRY TAVERN – One person was taken in to police custody after a swarm of officers responded to a Dry Tavern home Tuesday afternoon after a flurry of gunshots were heard around the residence.
State police surrounded the home at 977 N. Eighty-Eight Road for nearly five hours after responding to what they believed was an active shooter situation at the home about 12:10 p.m.
The incident was called in by Cumberland Township police officers who were near the area at the time, state police said.
A neighbor, who declined to identify himself, said he heard 10 to 12 gunshots at the house shortly after noon.
Greg Kalaway, 44, was shopping inside the Giant Eagle nearby at about 12:30 p.m. when he noticed people looking outside the front window. Another shopper said “somebody was being chased by someone” outside. A store employee urged people to remain inside the grocery story, but it was never locked down.
A state police trooper came into the store, but didn’t say anything, Kalaway said.
Kalaway could see one police car across the street on Route 88 near the intersection with Route 188. He then went outside and saw a heavy police presence in the area.
“I’ve been doing public safety for so long that I wanted to offer assistance, if needed,” said Kalaway, who is a paramedic.
Shortly after, a person was seen being handcuffed near the home and placed inside a police car. State police Trooper Robert Broadwater said he was a person of interest and being questioned in the case, but declined to identify him. It was not immediately known if he would face any charges related to the situation.
Route 88 was blocked off in Dry Tavern for several hours from the intersection of Route 188 and Goslin Road. A state police helicopter was also seen flying over the area.
A state police specialized response team wearing paramilitary uniforms and body armor surrounded the house, thinking someone was still inside. Three booms were heard near the home around 4:30 p.m. as state police closed in, but no activity near the house was seen immediately afterward.
Police then entered the house, but no one was inside, Broadwater said.
“They did a thorough search and found nothing,” Broadwater said.
He did not know the condition of the house. No one was injured during the situation, he said.
“It’s a relief,” he said.
Jefferson-Morgan placed its schools on lockdown for about an hour and a half in the early afternoon on the advice of state police, said district fiscal assistant Catrina Kubasik. The measure was lifted by 3 p.m.
Neighboring Carmichaels Area School District took similar precautions for a little more than an hour.
“We locked down until we obtained some information and found out exactly what was going on,” Superintendent John Menhart said.
Both districts dismissed students as usual.
The investigation being led by state police out of the Waynesburg barracks.
Regional editor Mike Jones and staff writer Gideon Bradshaw contributed to this report.