New details in Frein shootings; affidavit of probable cause lays out the crime

Posted 9/30/09

The affidavit of probable cause in the arrest of accused cop-killer Eric Matthew Frein, lays out more details about the night of September 12, when Frein reportedly lay in wait for his human targets …

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New details in Frein shootings; affidavit of probable cause lays out the crime

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The affidavit of probable cause in the arrest of accused cop-killer Eric Matthew Frein, lays out more details about the night of September 12, when Frein reportedly lay in wait for his human targets to appear at the front of the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Blooming Grove Barracks.

The document says Corporal Bryon Dickson was leaving the front door of the building at about 10:50 p.m. heading toward his car when he “immediately dropped to the ground in front of the door where he remained motionless. These actions were observed via the station surveillance system.”

Police Communications Officer Nicole Palmer, who had arrived at work five minutes earlier, said she saw Dickson walk through the door before he was shot. She went to help Dickson and another shot was fired. She then went back inside to call 911 but was unsuccessful.

She went back to Dickson, who asked her to get him inside, but she was unable to.

Trooper Alex Douglass, at the time of the shooting, was in the lower parking lot. He approached Dickson, who was motionless, then Douglass too fell to the ground, but he was able to crawl into the building. Another trooper was able to move Douglass into the secure part of the building. The document says four bullets were fired within the space of 90 seconds.

Other officers were then able to use a patrol SUV as a shield to get to Dickson and they brought him into the station, but it was too late to save him.

Four shell casings were found the next day where the shooter would have been hiding.

Two days later, Frein’s vehicle was found partially submerged in a retention pond near the Blue Heron Estates. An officer searched the Jeep, and found it was registered to Frein, and many items belonging to Frein were also found including his driver’s license and “camouflage face paint, flashlights, a black hooded sweatshirt, two empty rifle cases, military gear and various information concerning foreign embassies.”

Shell casings were also found, and they matched the casings found at the murder scene.

The next day police spoke with Frein’s parents who confirmed that the Jeep and the items found in it belonged to their son. His father also said that when his son shoots, he doesn’t miss.

On September 19, a signal from Frein’s cell phone indicated that he was about three miles from his home in Canadensis, and PSP focused the search on that area for the remainder of the operation.

In the area, police found a campsite and some of his personal items, including his check book and cell phone and two improvised explosive devices (IEDs). A later examination of the IED found that they were both “functional IEDS that were capable of causing injury or possible death to persons who would be in the immediate vicinity of the IED.”

Also, notes were found that were apparently an account of the shooting in Frein’s own words. The note said, "Fri Sept 121, got a shot around 11 pm and took it." "He droped (sic)... I was surprised at how quick.

"I took a follow up shot on his head/neck area.

"He was still and quiet after... Another cop approached the one I just shot. As he went to kneel I took a shot at him and jumped in the door. His legs were visible and still. I ran back to the jeep... I made maybe half a mile from the GL road and hit a road block. I didn't expect one so soon. It was only 15-20 min. I did a K turn a mile from them and pulled into a development I knew had unfinished acess (sic) road....

"Hearing helos I just used my marker lights missed the trail around a run off pool and drove straight into it. !Disaster!

"Made half attempt to stash AK and ran."

A review of the notes did not give any indication that the identities of either trooper shot were known by the shooter.

Police also discovered much more information that implicates Frein as the shooter, which will be brought out later at trial.

In the end it was persistent police work that led to Frein’s capture. He had placed some supplies in the woods in advance and had been breaking into cabins and other places to obtain food.

On October 30, he had been staying in a hangar in an abandoned air park about 35 miles from where the shooting took place.

A group of U.S. Marshalls was conducting what was called a “routine grid search,” which the searchers had been conducting regularly throughout the 48-day manhunt, when they came upon the suspect. He was outside of the hanger, and he had no weapon. An officer said he gave up because he had no other choice.

Frein was escorted to Blooming Grove Barracks wearing Dickson’s handcuffs and in Dickson’s patrol car. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. There is still no word on any possible motive.

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