***UPDATED, 12:26 p.m., April 12.
Three juveniles were charged with crimes following Tuesday's shooting of 32-year-old Robert Dawson, according to Scranton Police.
The 15, 16 and 17-year-olds were all charged with simple assault and riot, police said. The 17-year-old faces additional drug charges, tampering with evidence and evading arrest.
The juveniles are all on house arrest, according to police. Detention was not provided due to a lack of housing.
***UPDATED, 4:22 p.m.
Robert Dawson, 32, was shot and killed Tuesday night in North Scranton after a fight that began on a city park’s basketball court, according a criminal complaint.
Kenneth Tapia, 17, is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and other related charges. Police say he shot Dawson twice in the chest with a 9mm handgun.
Before 8 p.m. a fight broke out on the basketball court at Weston Field. Surveillance footage shows that Tapia, along with Kenneth Ford, 18, and a juvenile, punched Dawson in the head and kicked him. Police were responding to a call that multiple males were assaulting one man, according to police.
Dawson was found shot on the side of Providence Road in North Scranton. He was taken to Geisinger Community Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Officers are familiar with the assailants, according to Tapia’s criminal complaint. They were involved in previous gang activity and shootings in Scranton, cops say. Officers later surrounded 1020 North Main Ave., a residence where Tapia was known to have stayed and frequented by other gang members.
Another male was also involved in the fight at the basketball court. He told police he ran from the scene when police arrived. He described Tapia and told police he was fighting with the driver of a vehicle. The male heard gunshots and saw the passenger of the vehicle fall down.
Ford lied during an interview with officers about his involvement in the fight. He is also charged with simple assault and other related crimes.
Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti was disheartened to hear that the Scranton community suffered another senseless death.
"The rapid on-scene response by our police department shows the strength of our Street Crimes Unit and our proactive patrols," she said in statement. "We appreciate the swift and robust assistance from Pennsylvania State Police, county police departments and the district attorney’s office."
Cognetti said crimes like Tuesday's should not happen in the first place.
"We will continue to work to address the root causes of youth violence," she said.
***
Scranton police remain this morning in the city neighborhood where a man was shot to death Tuesday evening.
Police said the shooting followed a fight among about 20 people at Weston Field in the city’s Providence neighborhood. Weston Field is a city park and recreation complex.
As police arrived, the combatants scattered and officers began searching. About four minutes later, officers heard gunfire near Ravine Street and Providence Road. Officers found the man shot and potential suspects fleeing.
Police detained several people there and found others at 1018 N. Main Ave.
At first, they refused to leave the home, but about 1 a.m. Wednesday, tactical units arrested “all suspects,” police said in a news released posted on Facebook.
Lackawanna County Coroner Tim Rowland confirmed the man died about 8:30 p.m. at Geisinger Community Medical Center, but did not have his identity. An autopsy will be conducted later today.
Several city police cars remained on the scene this morning at Weston Field.
Jerry Poepperling owns Corner News and Check Cashing and the coin-opearted laundry next door on Providence Avenue. The business is directly across the street from Weston Field.
Poepperling was closing up just before 8 p.m. A few customers in the shop earlier ran back in.
"And saying, you know, they're shooting, they're shooting. And so they were ushering the children that they had with them. And there were some other kids that were either coming from the park or in the parking lot here. And we ushered everybody into the store and locked the door," Poepperling said.
He said his first thought was to make sure everyone was safe.
"There were tons of kids in the park. And then there were tons of kids in and out of the store even that late."
He said the cops arrived almost immediately.
"So we got an idea of what was happening almost immediately."
Poepperling believes the fight started on the basketball court.
"And it was sort of somebody left and was on foot and the other people chased them. So I was assuming it was like teenagers, that kind of thing, and that's not new," Poepperling said.
Check back for updates.
