Man threatening PA radio station shot by police

[Dr. Whiplash]

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - A man who had threatened a Christian radio station was shot and killed by police Friday after he fired at officers with a rifle and tried to run them over with his sport-utility vehicle.

WTLR station manager Mark VanOuse said the station received a tip about 10 a.m. that someone armed with a shotgun was asking people for the address of the radio station and for money. Police got the same tip and went to the station.

Officers intercepted the man as he arrived at the station, where he began shooting at police outside, ramming cruisers and trying to run over officers on foot, witnesses said. After an exchange of gunfire, the suspect was shot dead in his white Ford Bronco, Madeira said. No one else was wounded.

"At least twice, he fired from the car," said Brad Shearer, who watched from his office window across the street. He said he saw the man try to run over police officers with their guns drawn. During a second exchange of gunfire, the gunman's vehicle drifted into a building, Shearer said.

VanOuse, who had taken his two employees to a secure room, said he saw only glimpses of what happened. The altercation lasted no longer than 15 minutes, he said. "He was moving fast," VanOuse said. "He was blowing right past police cars with officers who had their rifles drawn."

He said he did not know why the station was targeted. "There is nothing leading up to this point that would have given us any indication of someone being upset with us," VanOuse said.

[cgarison]

That is interesting. PA police outside of Philly are known for not shooting suspects even when they are under fire. The guy that killed his estranged wife and two children in Marianna, PA and then was caught a day later in Washington was not killed by Troop B "stateys" even though the young girl's parents had asked for lethal force to be used.

Maybe they were not PA State Troopers.....

[Big Media]

Are we sure it wasn't Hallburn?

And what is it with criminals and white Ford Broncos?

[Scott Reppert]

I worked with Mark VanOuse for about four months back in 1992 at HAR and eventually took his place. He used to do the easy listening stuff in the evenings and did a great job. Voicetracking the weekend evenings, though, brought out his wild side...like using his very smooth extremely good mellow voice: "well, folks, it's the Fourth Of July" to lead into the absolute loudest sfx of fireworks you have ever heard followed by the return of the mellow voice intoning "here's the latest from Larnelle Harris"...

He was a real good guy to work with. Can't understand why someone would be out to shoot up his station...

[AmpedNow]

Maybe a random crazy who believed the station was talking "to" him and telling him to do stuff?