S. ABINGTON TWP., LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Police arrested a man after they say he fired multiple shots, which lead to a stand-off over the weekend.
According to the South Abington Township Police Department, on March 8 around 10:00 p.m., officers were called to the 1100 block of Layton Road for a man with a gun, threatening to harm himself.
Police say the man, identified as 56-year-old George Frietto, fired one shot through the bedroom wall while officers were speaking with a woman who lives in the home with him.
Officers said they went outside and took cover behind patrol vehicles after the shot was fired.
Multiple police units were called to the scene, and officers attempted to get Frietto to exit the house, but they did not succeed. Police said they then learned that Frietto was having a mental crisis after attending the Scranton Saint Patrick Day’s parade with friends.
After several attempts to get Frietto to leave the home, officers said they called for the Lackawanna County SWAT team. As stated in the affidavit, shortly after calling for the SWAT team, a second shot was fired from inside the house.
Eventually, investigators were able to arrest Frietto and charged him with discharge of a firearm into an occupied structure, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, and terroristic threats.
