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| Survivalist killer on the run brings life in the Poconos to a standstill | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Pennsylvania's expansive Pocono mountains are a tourist hotspot in the summer and bring skiers and snowboards in the winter, but year-round the mountain range hosts a community of longtime residents used to travelling down miles of dirt roads and densely wooded areas to travel from their isolated homes to more populated areas for school and work. These winding, wooded roads have become a source of anxiety for some residents of Monroe County, after a local resident killed a police officer, Bryon Dickson, and injured another late last week. The suspect managed to evade the eyes of law enforcement until police discovered an abandoned SUV several days after the shooting, leading police to identify him as Eric Frein on Tuesday. A day later, they described him as an anti-law enforcement survivalist who had talked of mass murder. | Pennsylvania's expansive Pocono mountains are a tourist hotspot in the summer and bring skiers and snowboards in the winter, but year-round the mountain range hosts a community of longtime residents used to travelling down miles of dirt roads and densely wooded areas to travel from their isolated homes to more populated areas for school and work. These winding, wooded roads have become a source of anxiety for some residents of Monroe County, after a local resident killed a police officer, Bryon Dickson, and injured another late last week. The suspect managed to evade the eyes of law enforcement until police discovered an abandoned SUV several days after the shooting, leading police to identify him as Eric Frein on Tuesday. A day later, they described him as an anti-law enforcement survivalist who had talked of mass murder. |
| Frein grew up in the mountain town of Canadensis, population 2,164, and attended school in the 5,546-person city of Stroudsburg, where some residents from the wooded areas work and study. The revelations about Frein's views and lifestyle prompted Stroudsburg colleges to take increased security measures, and led to fear among residents. | Frein grew up in the mountain town of Canadensis, population 2,164, and attended school in the 5,546-person city of Stroudsburg, where some residents from the wooded areas work and study. The revelations about Frein's views and lifestyle prompted Stroudsburg colleges to take increased security measures, and led to fear among residents. |
| "The only concern is that he could be right there and we wouldn't know it," Salwa Khalifa, a student at East Stroudsburg University (ESU), where Frein studied, told the Guardian. Rumours of sightings have become commonplace at ESU and police swarmed the area on Wednesday after reports of a sighting. They found no sign of him. | "The only concern is that he could be right there and we wouldn't know it," Salwa Khalifa, a student at East Stroudsburg University (ESU), where Frein studied, told the Guardian. Rumours of sightings have become commonplace at ESU and police swarmed the area on Wednesday after reports of a sighting. They found no sign of him. |
| Frein, identified as a member of a war simulation group known as the Eastern Wolves, was added to the FBI's most-wanted list on Thursday. | Frein, identified as a member of a war simulation group known as the Eastern Wolves, was added to the FBI's most-wanted list on Thursday. |
| At ESU, Khalifa and her friend Franchesca Davila said his face has clogged their Facebook feeds, as community members post photos in an effort to speed up his discovery. | At ESU, Khalifa and her friend Franchesca Davila said his face has clogged their Facebook feeds, as community members post photos in an effort to speed up his discovery. |
| Both women were more worried about people living deep in the Monroe County mountains than themselves. This feeling was echoed across the city, from residents residing in the more populated central areas to those living in the more riskier wooded area, like Mount Pocono, where Frein attended high school and was a member of its rifle team. | Both women were more worried about people living deep in the Monroe County mountains than themselves. This feeling was echoed across the city, from residents residing in the more populated central areas to those living in the more riskier wooded area, like Mount Pocono, where Frein attended high school and was a member of its rifle team. |
| One Monroe County resident, who did not want to be identified because of fear that Frein would target her, provided copies of a yearbook showing Frein as a rifle-bearing high-school senior, "exhibiting a steady hand" as he aims at a target. | One Monroe County resident, who did not want to be identified because of fear that Frein would target her, provided copies of a yearbook showing Frein as a rifle-bearing high-school senior, "exhibiting a steady hand" as he aims at a target. |
| "I'm happy we're here and not on Mount Pocono," joked Jason Cumberbatch, a barber at Satori Cuts on Stroudsburg's Main Street. Frein was the hot topic of conversation at the barbershop on Thursday, as he was in bars and coffee shops across the city. | "I'm happy we're here and not on Mount Pocono," joked Jason Cumberbatch, a barber at Satori Cuts on Stroudsburg's Main Street. Frein was the hot topic of conversation at the barbershop on Thursday, as he was in bars and coffee shops across the city. |
| The Eastern Wolves played war games set in cold war-era eastern Europe. They used airsoft guns – realistic replicas of real guns that fire small plastic metal pellets, usually using compressed gas. The Eastern Wolves were a member of a wider "airsoft, militaria and reenactment" group called Red Alliance, which organises tournaments. | The Eastern Wolves played war games set in cold war-era eastern Europe. They used airsoft guns – realistic replicas of real guns that fire small plastic metal pellets, usually using compressed gas. The Eastern Wolves were a member of a wider "airsoft, militaria and reenactment" group called Red Alliance, which organises tournaments. |
| Bob Courtney, an airsoft player who met Frein at an event several years ago attended by the Eastern Wolves, gave the Guardian some insight into the group. "They were much younger than me," he said, adding that he had only played with them at that one event. "They were really into their portrayal." He said they put on eastern European accents and "listened to Serbian rock music". | Bob Courtney, an airsoft player who met Frein at an event several years ago attended by the Eastern Wolves, gave the Guardian some insight into the group. "They were much younger than me," he said, adding that he had only played with them at that one event. "They were really into their portrayal." He said they put on eastern European accents and "listened to Serbian rock music". |
| He said that level of immersion was not unusual in the reenactment scene. "I do revolutionary war, civil war and World War 2 reenacting. A lot of people immerse themselves in those just as much." But he said that the airsoft hobby, by contrast, was usually "more laid-back, less authentic." | He said that level of immersion was not unusual in the reenactment scene. "I do revolutionary war, civil war and World War 2 reenacting. A lot of people immerse themselves in those just as much." But he said that the airsoft hobby, by contrast, was usually "more laid-back, less authentic." |
| This hobby, the high-school rifle club membership and the in-depth reporting provided by the Pocono Record have fed tension. On Thursday, the Pocono Record reported that a sniper manual had been found in Frein's possession. | This hobby, the high-school rifle club membership and the in-depth reporting provided by the Pocono Record have fed tension. On Thursday, the Pocono Record reported that a sniper manual had been found in Frein's possession. |
| "We definitely can't wait for this to be over – especially because we have kids," said Cumberbatch. The barbershop was packed with children on Thursday afternoon, primarily because all the schools in the Pocono Mountain school district were closed for the day out of safety. In Stroudsburg, schools cancelled outdoor activities. | "We definitely can't wait for this to be over – especially because we have kids," said Cumberbatch. The barbershop was packed with children on Thursday afternoon, primarily because all the schools in the Pocono Mountain school district were closed for the day out of safety. In Stroudsburg, schools cancelled outdoor activities. |
| Glen Hoyte, who was cutting a child's hair two chairs away from Cumberbatch, moved from New York City to Monroe County in 2003. He said he had bought a lock for his grill once he moved, inspiring jokes from his friends who couldn't understand why anyone would need to lock their grill in this safe, friendly area. | Glen Hoyte, who was cutting a child's hair two chairs away from Cumberbatch, moved from New York City to Monroe County in 2003. He said he had bought a lock for his grill once he moved, inspiring jokes from his friends who couldn't understand why anyone would need to lock their grill in this safe, friendly area. |
| "It definitely takes away that Pocono free-living feeling," said Cumberbatch, who is optimistic that this, like all things, will pass. | "It definitely takes away that Pocono free-living feeling," said Cumberbatch, who is optimistic that this, like all things, will pass. |
| Dorothy Schips, the owner of a gallery and custom framing shop on Stroudsburg's Main Street, has lived in the woods for 19 years, with her husband of 62 years. She said that now when she gets home, she parks close to her front door instead of in the parking spot on the side of her house. "But they'll catch him," said Schips. | Dorothy Schips, the owner of a gallery and custom framing shop on Stroudsburg's Main Street, has lived in the woods for 19 years, with her husband of 62 years. She said that now when she gets home, she parks close to her front door instead of in the parking spot on the side of her house. "But they'll catch him," said Schips. |