BERKS COUNTY, Pa. -- Neighbors were horrified and shocked to hear that someone in their community shot at police at a Walmart near Allentown earlier this week.
"I read about the shooting. When they announced who it was, when they announced who it was, we were horrified," said Dana Oberly.
That was Oberly's initial reaction when she found out her next-door neighbor, Aaron Ibrahem, was the shoplifting suspect shot dead by state police.
She says he lived on South Park Avenue in Mertztown.
According to the Morning Call, this wasn't Ibrahem's first run-in with the law. Back in August of 2014, he led police on a car chase in Northhampton County and allegedly threatened to shoot at authorities.
Earlier this month, police say Ibrahem was also a suspect in a robbery at a Walmart in St. Clair, Schuylkill County. The getaway car, a white van, was similar to the one Ibrahem drove.
One neighbor who knew Ibrahem went through some tough times, says she never had any problems with him personally.
"He always waved hi, very polite, very respectful. My fiancee would talk to him on a daily basis. Asked if we needed anything. Goof around with him. This never occurred to me this would happen. I was totally shocked and bewildered," said Oberly.
But another neighbor got a different vibe.
"He didn't look like someone nice. I get feelings about people and he looked creepy," said Karen Milici of Mertztown.
For those who live on South Park Avenue in Mertztown, who were unaware that Ibrahem lived right here, hearing the news that he lived on their street came as a huge surprise.
"Wow, it's scary. It's scary what's happening," said Melanie Miller.
"It's a little scary. It's scary and we have our kids here too. So that's scary," said Deserea Kennedy.
A neighbor added that in recent weeks, she saw Ibrahem unloading a similar white van to the one seen at both the Walmart in Schuylkill County and Lehigh County.