Three people are dead and at least two are injured after an armed resident entered a Ross Township meeting in rage after feuding with officials over his property on Monday night, USA TODAY reports.
Rockne Newell, 59, entered the township's monthly meeting around 7:30 p.m. when he began shooting. Police officials said he was tackled by two people and shot with his own gun. The meeting was held by two town officials, one of which was killed, and 15 to 18 residents of Monroe County, not far from Newell's home.
"I heard more than 10 shots," Pocono Record reporter Chris Reber said. "It was automatic, like a string of firecrackers."
Two people died at the scene and the third died after being transported to the hospital. A fourth person underwent surgery after the incident her condition is unknown.
According to officials, Newell began shooting as he walked toward the building and continued as he entered the meeting. He then went back to his car, retrieved a second gun, and went back inside to shoot again.
Reber said that the shots caused plaster to explode from the wall in addition to pictures "exploding away from the walls." He was able to crawl out of the meeting and hide behind a vehicle.
"It wasn't real to me until I went back inside and saw people bleeding," he explained.
Township officials had voted in February of 2012 to take action against Newell for zoning and sewage violations. Last October, he set up a website, saveRockyshome, to raise $10,000 for legal fees in his fight against town officials.
"I need to clean up & I need a lawyer, I have no place to go and my 2 rescue dogs will be put to sleep because no one else will take them," Newell wrote on the site.
The fight between Newell and the township has reportedly lasted for 18 years. In August of 2012, the Monroe County Court sided with the township and ordered Newell to vacate his property unless he obtained the permits to use it again.
After being treated at the hospital on Monday night, Newell was in police custody.
