Man killed his neighbor then ‘ambushed’ and shot 2 state troopers on Pennsylvania highway, officials say

By Danny Freeman, Taylor Romine, CNN

(CNN) — A suspect is dead after he shot and killed his neighbor Thursday before wounding two responding Pennsylvania state troopers, including one who managed to commandeer a tractor trailer to protect drivers from gunfire on a state highway, officials said.

The troopers, Joseph Perechinsky and William Jenkins, were responding to a report of shots fired when they were “immediately fired upon and ambushed,” Pennsylvania State Police Col. Christopher Paris told reporters Thursday.

The suspect, identified as 61-year-old Carmine Faino, was shot and killed after he refused to comply with commands, police said.

Investigators believe Faino shot his neighbor, 57-year-old Laurie Wasko, while she was near her car in front of her residence, Paris said. Wasko died from her injury, he said.

The victim’s boyfriend reported the shooting about 11:17 a.m. local time, near State Route 171 in Thompson Township, police said.

The two troopers went to the state highway and got out of their vehicle to try and figure out where the gunfire was coming from, when they were ambushed “from a very good distance away,” Paris said.

“They were ambushed by several rounds of rifle fire from a position of tactical superiority,” the colonel added.

Shots were also fired at a responding EMT’s vehicle, which veered off State Route 171 and crashed, Paris said, adding the EMT was injured and is in stable condition.

While severely injured, Perechinsky was able to commandeer a tractor trailer driving down the road and position the semi-rig across the roadway so people wouldn’t be hit by potential gunfire, according to the colonel.

Perechinsky also managed to place a tourniquet on his fellow trooper’s arms.

Additional troopers and local law enforcement rushed to the scene and set up a perimeter as the wounded officers were airlifted to a local hospital, where they were in stable condition Thursday night.

At the scene, law enforcement tried to negotiate with the barricaded suspect and attempted to use a drone, which he “shot down actively with a firearm,” the colonel said.

“We attempted at length to try and negotiate with Mr. Faino,” Paris said. “At one point, I will tell you he was sitting on a propane tank, which caused further concern that he had attempted to turn that into an improvised explosive device, and we were concerned about other weapons.”

The suspect was shot and killed after he “refused to comply with commands,” police said.

A motive wasn’t immediately shared by law enforcement.

Troopers ‘lucky to be alive’

The troopers are “very lucky to be alive,” Paris said, adding that Perechinsky had placed a tourniquet on his fellow trooper’s arms while he himself was injured with two gunshot wounds. A third trooper responded and was able to get the injured troopers out despite “their patrol cars being riddled with bullets,” he said.

Perechinsky has been a trooper for six years, while Jenkins has been on the force for 10 years, Paris said.

Gov. Josh Shapiro spoke while on his way to visit Jenkins after seeing Perechinsky, who the governor said was “in good spirits.”

Shapiro described Perechinsky as “a real hero in the community,” saying his actions “exemplifies the absolute best of the Pennsylvania State Police.”

The district attorney’s office is conducting a use of force investigation and the troopers have been put on leave pending results, which is typical for the situation, Paris said.

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