A funeral was held today for a man who died while protecting a woman during Monday’s town hall shooting.
A viewing for David Fleetwood began at 1 p.m. and ended at 3 p.m. at the Kresge Funeral Home on 1763, Route 209 in Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania. A funeral service began immediately after.
Fleetwood, 62, along with Gerard Kozic and James Laguardia were all shot and killed Monday after a gunman burst into a town hall meeting in Ross Township and opened fire.
Police say the accused gunman, Rockne Newell, was angry at Ross Township officials after losing his junk-strewn property in northeastern Pennsylvania last month in a court fight and opened fire at a building where they were meeting. Police say Fleetwood died while shielding a woman with his body. The woman survived the incident.
Two men, Mark Kresh and Bernie Kozn, tackled Newell and stopped him from shooting anyone else. The men also shot and injured Newell before he was taken into police custody. Newell faces charges that include three counts of homicide.
On Thursday, hundreds of people gathered at St. Peter's United Methodist Church in Saylorsburg where they honored the heroes and victims of the shooting.
Also beginning today, Pennsylvania state flags at the Capitol Complex and at commonwealth facilities in Monroe County will be flown at half-staff in honor of Fleetwood, LaGuardia and Kozic. The flags will remain at half-staff for three days.
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“The incident in Monroe County strikes at the heart of America’s tradition of hometown democracy,’’ Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett said. “Pennsylvania has lost three good citizens who were at a township meeting to exercise their constitutional right to self-government."
