A Dalton man faces charges after police say he fatally shot a coworker at the Lowe's home improvement store on Viewmont Drive early Saturday, Scranton police said.
Christopher M. Wasnetsky, 36, allegedly called 911 to report that he shot Jeff Moeller.
"I would like to report a shooting at the Dickson City Lowe's. I was the person that did it," Wasnetsky allegedly told a 911 dispatcher in a call that was reviewed by police and mentioned in a criminal complaint.
Police said Wasnetsky exited the front of the store and was detained without incident when officers arrived at 12:36 a.m.
Moeller was transported to Geisinger Community Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, according to the criminal complaint.
Wasnetsky was taken to Scranton Police headquarters where he was read his Miranda rights and agreed to be interviewed without a lawyer present, according to an affidavit.
Police said Wasnetsky told them he bought a handgun last week with the intention of shooting Moeller, who he claimed had been harassing him for months.
Wasnetsky said he approached Moeller without warning while he was working and shot him in the chest, according to the affidavit. When Moeller fell to the ground and asked for help Wasnetsky shot him several times in the head and chest so he wouldn't suffer.
Three night shift workers on duty at Lowe's did not witness the shooting, police said.
Police said they reviewed surveillance footage that shows Moeller moving items with a forklift when Wasnetsky approached him, pushing a shopping cart. Wasnetsky can be seen shooting Moeller from about five feet away. When Moeller falls, Wasnetsky continues to shoot as Moeller is still moving around on the floor.
The video then shows Wasnetsky get very close to Moeller and shoot him in the head, after which Moeller stops moving, the affidavit says.
Police said they discovered Moeller in a large pool of blood with four shell casings nearby. They also found a Springfield 9 mm handgun about 30 feet away near a shopping cart.
The gun appeared to be unloaded, police said. They observed a live round on the ground and the magazine was next to the gun.
Wasnetsky was charged with two counts of aggravated assault — one general and one with a deadly weapon — pending an autopsy to confirm Moeller's cause of death, police said.
He was arraigned on those charges and committed to the Lackawanna County Prison to await further proceedings, police said.
