Two police officers opened fire during a deadly early morning chase in the Lehigh Valley.
The Express-Times reports a witness heard 8 to 10 shots after Richie Scheuermann slammed his pickup truck into a pole in Easton around 1:20 a.m. Friday.
“I heard the cops say, ‘get out of the truck, get on the ground,’” said Matt Daiello who woke up from the noise of the crash.
State Police Lt. Joseph Sokolofski said it was unclear if the gunshots killed the man. Scheuermann also had a self-inflicted neck wound, according to Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli.
Investigators recovered a knife from the scene, Morganelli said.
Morganelli said he will determine whether it was a justifiable homicide and that it could take several weeks to complete an extensive investigation.
The shooting at 13th and Spring Garden streets ended a pursuit that began about 20 minutes earlier in a nearby community.
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Police followed the 39-year-old Scheuermann through Palmer, Wilson and Bethlehem Township and reported him driving erratically. At one point he almost hit a pedestrian, according to authorities.
Morganelli also said that Scheuermann tried to ram officers with his pickup.
“I heard a couple shootings … I ran upstairs to make sure everyone was OK,” said Daiello.
No one else was injured.
Crews spent hours fixing the utility pole damaged during the chase.
