COOLBAUGH TOWNSHIP, PA — A rental property in Monroe County is at the center of an investigation after several complaints escalated to gunfire Wednesday morning.
Police spent several hours in the Pocono Farms East Community investigating a series of disturbances that stemmed from one rental property.
For nearly two days, Pocono Mountain Regional Police have been called to Pocono Farms East in Coolbaugh Township for several reports of problems.
"They all had a similar tale of that they were at a house, they were at a party, they were being chased, they were being shot at," said Pocono Mountain Regional Police Chief Chris Wagner.
Then, around 10 a.m., another incident caught the attention of neighbors.
"Heard six gunshots; it was like one, two, three, four. There was a pause, then five, six. And then we immediately called 911 and just as I hung up, I heard squealing and that level of squeal, someone was going to be in an accident," recalled Michael Smith.
Police say a crash happened on Coach Road. Newswatch 16 was there as the damaged vehicle was towed from the scene.
Witnesses who live nearby say they jumped into action to help the people in the car.
"Was in my backyard, I took off, I made a right down the street here and found three women, three young women, spilling out of a black hatchback, and they were all visibly injured, so I have no experience with this, mind you, but to the degree I an amateur in this situation, I just checked out the situation," Michael Smith said.
"People in the car speak Spanish, and we didn't have anybody on site initially that was speaking Spanish, but we tried our best to calm them down. One was incredibly shaken. She was hyperventilating; she was looking all around like there was someone still coming for them. She was really scared," Grace Smith said.
Police say the investigation led them to a home on Warwick Court that was rented as an Airbnb. That's when police say they were able to connect the crash to reports of gunfire.
"As they were leaving, they were somewhat ambushed by people coming out of the wood line and firing handguns at them, and they fled the scene, obviously terrified from that, and came crashing down the road," Chief Wagner said.
Pocono Mountain Regional Police say they are still working to figure out who fired the shots but stress this was an isolated incident.
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