User: rstouch Time: 10-05-2012 23:37 Product: Times_Leader PubDate: 10-06-2012 Zone: Main Edition: Main_Run PageName: news_f PageNo: 1 A
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WILKES-BARRE, PA
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2012
“I heard a good 18 rounds. It’s a mess. There are all sorts of gunshot shells. There is blood all over the floor… I smelled that sulfur smell; I looked down the hallway and the cops were marking down the bullets and shells.” Jean Bayyoud Resident
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American jobless rate falls below 8 percent
Survey of households found that 873,000 more people had jobs, the biggest jump since January 2003. By PAUL WISEMAN and CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER AP Economics Writers
CLARK VAN ORDEN/THE TIMES LEADER
The body of fugitive Robert Montgomery is removed from the Sherman Hills high-rise Friday afternoon. He died Friday morning in a gunfight that erupted when Wilkes-Barre police and U.S. Marshals tried to remove him from an apartment.
Cop shooter dies in gunfight W-B Sgt. Matthew Stash is injured when police and U.S. Marshals confront a fugitive. By EDWARD LEWIS elewis@timesleader.com
WILKES-BARRE – A city police officer was shot and a fugitive wanted for an attempted homicide in Philadelphia was killed in a gunfight that erupted when the officer attempted to enter a Sherman Hills high-rise apartment Friday morning. Sgt. Matthew Stash, 43, an 18year police veteran, continued to return fire at the gunman, Robert Montgomery, 29, despite suffering a gunshot wound to his leg. Montgomery was killed in the shooting when city police and U.S. Deputy Marshals retaliated with their weapons. Stash, commander of the police department’s specialized VIPER unit, was with five other
Fugitives seek safety
law enforcement officers, including the U.S. Marshals, searching for Montgomery in order to serve a warrant for his arrest at about 8
Stash
a.m. “Sgt. Stash was shot in the leg while diving into an adjoining room to avoid the gunfire,” Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said. “The rounds pierced walls and doors.” Stash was carried out of the high-rise by other officers and rushed to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township. He underwent surgery Friday afternoon and is expected to make a full recovery, Police Chief Gerard Dessoye said. Authorities learned MontSee GUNFIGHT, Page 12A
By JERRY LYNOTT jlynott@timesleader.com
CLARK VAN ORDEN/THE TIMES LEADER
Wilkes-Barre Police guard the entrance to Sherman Hills Friday afternoon. They were stopping all traffic and people who did not live there from going in.
Shooting suspect had long history of crime, offenses By TERRIE MORGAN-BESECKER tmorgan@timesleader.com
WILKES-BARRE – The man who shot and wounded a city police officer Friday was a convicted felon with a long history of violent crime and drug offenses, according to court records. Robert Montgomery, 29, was released from a state prison in April after serving 6 1/2 years of a five-to-10-year sentence for aggravated assault and other offenses. He was wanted in Philadel-
INSIDE
A NEWS Local News Nation/World Obituaries
phia for a new charge of attempted homicide that was filed in August. Wilkes-Barre Sgt. Matt Stash was shot in the leg as he and Montgomery members of the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force attempted to serve a warrant on Montgomery at an apartment in the Sherman Hills Apartment
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Complex. Montgomery was staying in an apartment rented by his 61-year-old father, Robert J. Montgomery, police said. The younger Montgomery was fatally shot by the officers when he opened fire after police ordered him to show his hands. The elder Montgomery, who has a record of arrests but no convictions, See HISTORY, Page 12A
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WASHINGTON — The U.S. unemployment rate dropped below 8 percent for the first time since the month President Barack Obama took office, a surprising lift for both the economy and his reelection hopes in the final weeks of the campaign. The rate, the mostwatched measure of the country’s economic health, tumbled to 7.8 percent in September from 8.1 percent in Au- Obama gust. It fell because a government survey of households found that 873,000 more people had jobs, the biggest jump since January 2003. The government’s Romney other monthly survey, of employers, showed they added a modest 114,000 jobs in September, but it also showed job growth in July and August was stronger than first thought. Obama, eager to shift attention from a disappointing performance at the first presidential debate, said Friday that the report showed the country “has come too far to turn back now.” Romney countered: “This is not what See JOBLESS, Page 2A
Skeptics cite conspiracy theory on jobs
WILKES-BARRE – It’s not that the area is magnet for fugitives, a law enforcement official said. Instead they end up here while fleeing from where they committed their crimes. Most of them are taken into custody and not killed in a shootout with police like Robert Montgomery was on Friday morning. Four other men wanted on homicide charges in other states and in one case, another country were apprehended in the city since March. Montgomery, 29, wanted for attempted murder and other charges in Philadelphia, shot at members of a fugitive task force who came to arrest him at his father’s apartment in the Sherman Hills complex. His 61-yearold father, Robert J. Montgomery, and Wilkes-Barre Police Sgt. Matthew Stash, 43, were wounded in the gunfight. U.S. Marshal for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Marty Pane said members of his department were among the task force involved in the fatal shootout. They devel-
WASHINGTON — Sasquatch might as well have traipsed across the White House lawn Friday with a lost Warren Commission file on his way to the studio where NASA staged the moon landing. Conspiracy theorists came out in force after the government reported a sudden drop in the U.S. unemployment rate one month before Election Day. Their message: The Obama administration would do anything to ensure a November victory, including manipulating unemployment data. The conspiracy was widely rejected. Officials at the Labor Department said the jobs figures are calculated by highly trained government employees without any political interference. Democrats
See FUGITIVES, Page 12A
See SKEPTICS, Page 2A
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User: rstouch Time: 10-05-2012 23:20 Product: Times_Leader PubDate: 10-06-2012 Zone: Main Edition: Main_Run PageName: news_05 PageNo: 12 A
PAGE 12A SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2012
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Officer’s mettle is well known Matthew Stash, shot Friday during an arrest, has made a career of facing danger. By EDWARD LEWIS elewis@timesleader.com
WILKES-BARRE – City Police Chief Gerard Dessoye called police Sgt. Matthew Stash the “Tip of my spear.” Stash, 43, suffered a gunshot wound to the leg on Friday while attempting to arrest a fugitive wanted in Philadelphia on an attempted homicide charge. Dessoye, Mayor Tom Leighton and Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis
spent most of Friday morning at Stash’s bedside at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center. “He’s lying in the hospital and the chief and I are talking to him and all he’s concerned about was everyone else that was there and everyone else is safe and everyone left unharmed,” Salavantis said. “That goes to his character.” Stash has been on the police force since December 1994 and is currently commander of the city’s VIPER unit, which conducts drug investigations and fugitive apprehensions with the U.S. Marshals. “He is the tip of my spear,”
Dessoye said of Stash. “He is an outstanding police officer. He didn’t become the commander officer of the VIPER unit by accident. It’s no surprise to me that he was involved in the actions today. Even after being severely injured, he still continued to return fire and continued the fight.” Earlier this week, Stash – wearing blue jeans, a golf shirt and sunglasses – stood at East Market Street and Public Square, the same area where 22 suspected street-level drug pushers were arrested in September. In August 2010, Stash and another VIPER officer with the help of three citizens apprehend-
ed a man armed with a knife along Wilkes-Barre Township Boulevard. Stash grabbed the knife-wielding man from behind after he attacked another officer. While attending a conference for the Pennsylvania Narcotics Officers’ Association in Harrisburg in March 2009, Stash and Officer Tom Kaluzny apprehended a gunman who had robbed the hotel where they were staying. In December 2006, Stash apprehended a man who had shot several people at the former White House Café on Hazle Avenue. “He’s always on the front line,” Dessoye added.
CLARK VAN ORDEN/THE TIMES LEADER
Pennsylvania State Police investigate at the scene of a shooting that left a fugitive dead and a Wilkes-Barre Police officer injured.
GUNFIGHT
THE TIMES LEADER
FRED ADAMS/FOR THE TIMES LEADER
U.S. Marshal Marty Pane answers questions on the shooting at Sherman Hills with Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis.
he was struck by gunfire from his own son’s weapon.” Criminal investigators with the state police at Wyoming spent most of the day at the highrise. A Luzerne County sheriff deputy was stationed at the entrance to Parkview Circle, which leads to the high-rise, permitting only residents to come and go. Delivery trucks were turned away except for a U.S. letter carrier. The shooting has left Bayyoud and another high-rise tenant, Christina Robles, 33, in shock. “It’s crazy,” Robles said while pushing a small grocery cart. “I’m 6 ½ months pregnant. I don’t want to raise my daughter here.” Robles said she had frequently heard gunfire and seen police in the Sherman Hills apartment complex in the 2 ½ months she has lived in the high-rise. Sherman Hills is made up of eight three-story apartment buildings and one eight-story building consisting of 104 onebedroom apartments. “It seems like it’s every single night police are here for something,” Robles said. “I’ve heard gunshots from my apartment and minutes later, you’ll see police.” “I don’t want to point the finger at Sherman Hills,” Dessoye said. “Obviously, what happened today is a result of an individual’s bad choice by attacking our po-
RECENT REPORTS FROM SHERMAN HILLS WILKES-BARRE – City police have responded to reports of numerous shootings, robberies and assaults at the Sherman Hills apartment complex off of Coal and North Empire streets. Among the recent reports were: •Aug. 1: Erik Steadele, 22, and Eric Williams, 22, both of Wilkes-Barre, were charged with stabbing Joel Steinruck in Building 320. • July 25: An unknown person fired several shots at apartments 403 and 404 in Building 308. No injuries were reported. • June 16: Police said a man was shot in the apartment complex. • May 27: Police charged DeJuane Gause, 26, of Pittston, and Natalie Thomas, 24, of Wilkes-Barre, with assaulting a pregnant woman. • March 17: Police charged Richard Mitchell, 35, of Wilkes-Barre, after a firearm with an altered serial number was found inside an apartment in Building 320. Police were investigating a burglary at another apartment when the firearm was found. • Jan. 14: A man delivering food from Great Wall Chinese restaurant told police he was robbed by a gunman at Building 320. • Jan. 2: A man delivering food from Tin-Tin Chinese restaurant told police he was robbed inside Building 320. • Dec. 28, 2011: A delivery employee from Golden Palace Chinese restaurant told police he was robbed in front of Building 320. • Dec. 27, 2011: A delivery employee from Great Wall Chinese restaurant told police he was robbed inside Building 316. • Dec. 26, 2011: A delivery employee from Great Wall Chinese restaurant told police he was robbed at gunpoint inside Building 328.
lice officers. It’s no secret Sherman Hills has its share of crime, but that is not the issue today. The issue is there are officers who acted in a very heroic manner today and an individual that was certainly a career criminal made a bad choice and unfortunately that person paid the price and more unfortunately, one of my officers was injured in it.” Salavantis said she has cleared the officers involved in the deadly shooting, citing evidence and the “preliminary investigation” by
state police. The district attorney said the investigation is ongoing and she has not ruled out charging the elder Montgomery with harboring a fugitive. Montgomery’s body was removed from the high-rise by Luzerne County Acting Coroner Bill Lisman and Deputy Coroner Dan Hughes at about 2:30 p.m. An autopsy by forensic pathologist Dr. Gary Ross determined Montgomery died from multiple gunshot wounds.
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ed that because Montgomery was facing a charge of false reports -- a non-violent crime – he was a lower priority than other, violent offenders. Continued from Page 1A “The beds usually fill up was wounded in the shootout. with violent felons,” Jamerson said. “There is only a limited U.S. Marshal Marty Pane said the younger Montgomery amount of room. If you have a number of violent defendants was wanted in the Aug. 21 shooting of a man in Philadel- that same day, they take first priority.” phia. Pane said the shooting The District Attorney’s victim’s girlfriend told authorOffice objected to the dismissities her boyfriend had gone al, but the judge rejected the to meet Montgomery, reportargument, she said. edly to purchase a car. SomeThe false reports case was thing went wrong and Montthe latest in a long list of gomery shot him. convictions and charges that Court records show Montgomery had been incarcerated had been filed against Montgomery in Philadelphia Counat the State Correctional Inty dating back to 2001, accordstitution at Graterford until ing to court records: April 12 on a parole violation • Montgomery had two while he awaited trial in Philaprior convictions for robbery delphia County Court on in 2001 and 2005. He was also charges of unsworn falsificacharged with manufacturing tion and false reports. and delivery of a controlled Montgomery was released substance in 2008 and 2010, after a Philadelphia County but both those cases was dropjudge dismissed the false reports case because prosecutors ped by prosecutors. • In 2003, he was charged were not able to go to trial, with murder, aggravated ascourt records show. sault and other offenses. The According to court docket sheets, the Philadelphia Coun- murder charge was later dismissed, however. Prosecutors ty District Attorney’s office refiled the case, charging twice sought continuances, once so that it could do more Montgomery with aggravated assault and other offenses. He investigation, and once bewas acquitted of all charges in cause an officer was not subSeptember 2003. poenaed. • In a 2005 robbery case, Philadelphia County Judge Karen Simmons denied a third Montgomery was sentenced to continuance and dismissed the 5 to 10 years in prison. He was initially paroled on those case on March 30 after the charges on July 12, 2011, but state failed to have Montwas re-incarcerated on Dec. gomery transported from 28, 2011 for a parole violation. Graterford to the court for Montgomery was serving trial, according to the docket the sentence on that parole sheet. violation when the false reTasha Jamerson, a spoports case came up for trial. keswoman for the District The elder Montgomery also Attorney’s Office, said the office did obtain a court order faced legal troubles in Philadelphia. to have Montgomery transIn 1985, he was charged ported, but for some reason with robbery, simple assault he was not brought to court. and terroristic threats. In 2003 Jamerson said inmates he was charged with theft and scheduled for court are transreceiving stolen property. Both ported from the state prison cases were dropped by the to another location and then Philadelphia District Attorare taken to court. Montney’s office, however. gomery never made that first Details on those cases could trip, however. not be immediately obtained Jamerson said it’s unclear Friday. what happened, but speculat-
HISTORY
FUGITIVES
Continued from Page 1A
gomery was possibly staying with his father, Robert J. Montgomery, 61, in a fifth floor apartment at the high-rise. The elder Montgomery partially opened the door and stalled when asked if his son was inside. Stash, standing in the hallway, spotted the younger Montgomery lying on a “maMontgomery II keshift bed in the living room and under a blanket,” Salavantis said. Stash pulled the elder Montgomery from the doorway and ordered the younger Montgomery to show his hands. The younger Montgomery “immediately opened fire” at Stash and other law enforcement officers. Jean Bayyoud, 34, who resides on the fifth floor five apartments away, said she was awakened when gunfire erupted. “I heard a good 18 rounds,” Bayyoud said. “It’s a mess. There are all sorts of Bayyoud gunshot shells. There is blood all over the floor.” Bayyoud said she initially thought the noise was maintenance doing work in an adjoining apartment until she realized it was gunfire. When she left her apartment, she saw the carnage in the hallway. “I smelled that sulfur smell; I looked down the hallway and the cops were marking down the bullets and shells. It was more prominent in the hallway. At least 18 rounds were marked. I don’t know how many rounds were marked in the apartment,” Bayyoud said. Salavantis said the elder Montgomery suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen. “The most recent reports indicate he is awake, alert and coherent,” she said. “We are awaiting ballistics to determine if in fact
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times. On June 13 the Marshals Service New York/New Jersey regional fugitive task force Continued from Page 1A captured Namer Yousef Al Daoud, 44, in the 1100 block of oped information on the younger Montgomery’s where- South Main Street. He was wanted for the 1992 murder of abouts, he said. his sister in Jordan. The marBy definition fugitives are shals transferred him to the always on the run, he added. custody of U.S. Im“Obviously migration and Custhose people are “Obviously toms Enforcement. fleeing to towns those people According to The where they may Times Leader arhave family or are fleeing to chives, other arrests they’re just trying towns where include: to get away from • April 9, Rasswhere that crime they may have hammach Roberts, occurred,” Pane family or 29, wanted for a said. they’re just deadly shooting in Montgomery’s West Virginia, appreflight from Philatrying to get hended in a residelphia is similar away from dence in the 100 to a wanted susblock of Old River pect leaving where that Road. Wilkes-Barre. The • March 26, Clifdifference, howev- crime octon Sykes, 45, wanter, is Philadelphia curred.” ed for a fatal stabhas a greater Marty Pane bing in Newark, N.J., crime rate, he U.S. Marshal apprehended at a said. house on South “The nexus is Hancock Street. more so about • Sept. 29, 2010, Marcus how much crime is being comBascus, 19, of East Orange, mitted in that town and them N.J., wanted for providing the leaving that area. I wouldn’t say that they’re coming here to gun used in a deadly shooting of a Seton Hall University Wilkes-Barre or anything for student, apprehended in an any particular reason other apartment at building 316 of than that,” Pane said. He ruled out employment as the Sherman Hills complex. Isaiah Kelly, 25, of Irvington, a deciding factor in their relocation, saying, “Violent offend- N.J., wanted for failing to register his address as a sexual ers such as Mr. Montgomery offender was caught in the tend to not be looking for apartment with Bascus. work.” • Sept. 29, 2010 Milique It’s critical the task force apprehend the suspects sooner Wagner, 22, wanted for a fatal shooting in Philadelphia on rather than later because violent offenders tend to continue Feb. 11, apprehended a residence on Cuba Street, Kingwith their criminal ways, he ston. said. • Jan. 15, 2009, Naquan “Mr. Montgomery fits that Tyreek Knight, 31, of Philadelmold. When you go after the phia, wanted as a person of worst of the worst, things can interest in a New York City happen,” Pane said. shooting in May 2008, appreLast month a task force hended at the Wilkes-Barre raided an apartment at Scott and Mundy streets in search of Lodge motel on Kidder Street. • July 18, 2008, Charles the Staten Island, N.Y. homicide suspect 26-year-old Adam Carter, 22, wanted in a fatal shooting in May in Brooklyn, Kamagate. On June 5 the U.S. N.Y., apprehended in an apartMarshals Service looked for ment in Building 332 at the Kamagate at the Hanover VilSherman Hills complex. lage apartment complex. They got their men other