Police ID suspect killed in officer-involved shooting that injured officer

WILMINGTON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — An officer-involved shooting ended with one person dead in Lawrence County on Thursday.

The incident began around 1 p.m. with a drive-by shooting in Union Township.

A utility worker in a cherry picker was shot in the arm and taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Police are still working to determine a motive in that shooting.

“It’s scary. It's a small place and everyone knows each other," said Erin Sawor, who lives nearby. “I was just surprised that anything like that would happen here."

Around 3 p.m., New Wilmington police spotted a suspicious vehicle, a yellow Dodge Neon, and followed it. In response, the 40-year-old suspect, identified as William Frazier, began firing through his back windshield into the police car.

State police said Frazier shot at and hit the New Wilmington police car several times along Route 208.

Once in the area of Lonely Lane, Frazier stopped his vehicle in the middle of Route 208 and got out with a gun, police said. He then shot at and hit another passing vehicle while continuing to shoot at officers.

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When state police arrived at the scene, Frazier came out from behind a wooden shed on the side of the road with a gun, authorities said.

Frazier was shot after he ignored verbal commands and continued toward officers in a “threatening manner,” according to state police. He died at UPMC Jameson Hospital.

Two Pennsylvania State Police troopers were involved in the shooting, as well as a New Wilmington police officer, who suffered minor injuries, either from bullet fragments or from flying glass.

“He’s just lucky to be alive because, ultimately, he had no idea what he was engaging just being behind the vehicle," said Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Eric Hermick.

Frazier was heavily armed, police said.

“There was armor piercing rounds in the suspect’s weapon, so there's some high concern. There was a lot of ammunition in the vehicle," Hermick said.

Pennsylvania State Police are investigating with the assistance of the Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office and the Lawrence County Coroner.

Cox Media Group