Ross Township Municipal Building shooting explained

Ross Township Municipal Building shooting
Location:	Ross Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Date:	August 5, 2013
Type:	Triple murder, mass shooting
Fatalities:	3
Injuries:	4 (including the perpetrator)
Perp:	Rockne Warren Newell
Weapons:	.223 Ruger Mini-14 .44 Magnum 6-shot revolver
Motive:	Land dispute

The Ross Township Municipal Building shooting occurred just after 7:00 p.m. on August 5, 2013, in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, United States, a small town in Monroe County. A gunman went on a shooting rampage at a public meeting of township supervisors in the municipal building, leaving three people dead and three others injured. The gunman, identified as Rockne Newell, was described as having long feuded with township officials.^[1]

Shooting

While approaching the building, Newell fired a .223 Ruger Mini-14 rifle into the building 28 times, through windows. Then, he went back to his car to retrieve a 6-shot .44 Magnum Revolver before entering the building and the meeting room.^[2] There, he began shooting the handgun at meeting attendees. While the gunman was still shooting, two men struggled with him over the gun. They subdued, disarmed, and held him, preventing further deaths and injuries.

Linda Kozic, Frank Pirano, and Howard Beers were injured; while David Fleetwood, Gerard Kozic, and James "Vinny" LaGuardia were fatally wounded. During the struggle over the gun with Bernard Kozen and Mark Krashe, the gunman was wounded in the leg with his own weapon.^{[3] [4] [5]}

Legal proceedings

Newell was arrested and immediately charged with three counts of homicide and an additional two counts of attempted homicide.^[6] Attorneys William Ruzzo and Michael E. Weinstein were assigned to Newell's defense in August 2013,^[7] and remained his attorneys for the duration of the trial. Newell pleaded guilty to three counts of first degree murder and attempted murder charges on May 29, 2015, and was sentenced to three life terms as well as an additional 61 to 122 years for the attempted murder charges and is currently imprisoned in the State Correctional Institution – Rockview^{[8] [9] [10]}

See also

• Kirkwood City Council shooting, a similar earlier case
• Carl Drega, a similar earlier case
• Moscone–Milk assassinations, a similar earlier case
• James E. Davis (councilman), a New York City councilman, who was assassinated in city hall

References

40.8973°N -75.3322°W

Notes and References

1. Web site: Pa. Man charged with killing 3: Town stole my home . Las-Vegas Review Journal. August 6, 2013 .
2. Web site: 3 Are Shot to Death at a Township Meeting in Pennsylvania. The New York Times. August 5, 2013. May 13, 2024.
3. Web site: Pa. State Police: Feud With Township Officials Motive In Shooting At Municipal Building « CBS Philly . Philadelphia.cbslocal.com . 2013-08-06 . 2018-06-28.
4. Web site: Township official honored for saving others in shooting rampage at municipal building. 22 December 2014 . The Philadelphia Inquirer. 28 June 2018.
5. Web site: Photos: Staten Island's James LaGuardia, slain at Pennsylvania town meeting, is fondly remembered at funeral. 13 August 2013. 28 June 2018.
6. Web site: Man charged with homicide in Pa. town meeting attack. USA Today. August 6, 2013. May 13, 2024.
7. Web site: Rockne Newell gets his defense team. Pocono Record. October 23, 2013.
8. McDonald, Joe. Pennsylvania man gets life for rampage at Pocono building, Reuters, May 29, 2015.
9. Web site: Man Who Killed 3 at Town Meeting Sentenced to Life. NBC10 Philadelphia. May 29, 2015. May 13, 2024.
10. Web site: Inmate/Parolee Locator.