Man shot twice in West Scranton, in critical condition

By Charles Schillinger (Staff Writer)
Published: June 27, 2009

Font size: [A] [A] [A]

A 20-year-old Scranton man shot in the chest twice early Saturday morning in West Scranton was in critical condition later in the day, police said.

Scranton police were called to 324 10th Ave. at 1:07 a.m. after nearby residents heard the gunshots and called 911.

Police said it was unclear what led to the shooting. No one was in custody as of Saturday, said Scranton police Sgt. Michael Perry. Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call Scranton police at 348-4150.

According to the victim, he was standing outside the residence when two men walking north on 10th Avenue fired between four and five shots at him, Sgt. Perry said.

The victim, whom police declined to identify Saturday, was conscious at the scene, Sgt. Perry said. He was shot in the upper right part of his chest and in the lower right part of his chest. After being shot, he ran inside the home, while witnesses say the two men - it's unclear if both men fired - continued north on 10th Avenue.

Owner Mike Carbone said he was renting the two-floor apartment to a woman and her children. But looking at his property after the shooting, he said he found no sign she or her children were living there.

Neighbors Allen Vidmosko and his girlfriend, Kelly Ann Salgado, were not home when the shooting occurred, but were greeted with yellow police tape and bullet holes when they returned. Bullets went into their front door and through the wall in their house, damaging a wooden cabinet inside.

Incidents like this are not common in the neighborhood, the pair said. The home is located just off Luzerne Street and down the street from the Novembrino Swim Complex. Ms. Salgado said it appeared there had been a "major party" Friday night, though police were not immediately able to confirm that.

Contact the writer: cschillinger@timesshamrock.com

Ads by Yahoo!

The billboards are no longer up so if that is considered folklore, I don't know how else to prove it to you. By bringing that type of element here you are neither helping or doing any good to anybody. I have first hand experience with this issue. Drug dealers who get a free ride are not EVER going to contribute anything good to any community. I have lived here my whole life i'm in my late 30's crime was NEVER this bad when i was growing up. So i can speak from experience.

Report

me, 08/15/2009 17:05

Mayor is to blame.

Report

Dee Bagg, 08/15/2009 15:51

hmmm many drug issues here same address:April arrest SCRANTON — City police arrested a man and a woman Thursday who were allegedly in possession of 51 grams of cocaine with a street value of $5,100.

After a short pursuit and struggle, police arrested Lamont “Killer” Champen, 28, of 322-24 10th Ave., in the 200 block of South Main Ave., about 4:20 p.m., police said. Police executed a search warrant at Mr. Champen’s address, where they arrested Jamie Thompkins, 30.

In addition to cocaine, police seized $1,205 in cash, marijuana and five cell phones.

Mr. Champen was charged with resisting arrest plus drug and delivery charges. Ms. Thompkins was charged with drug possession and delivery charges.

Report

Tamiera what u say now, 07/15/2009 22:27

Oddly, I've traveled the main interstates to and from NYC for many years. I have extended family there. Can anyone show me these reputed flyers and billboards? She was the head of the Progressive Center or whatever it is called. By that role, I would imagine any advertisements done might present themselves offensively to a prejudicial crowd but really, offering assistance to those in need is hardly recruiting. It's human. I don't know, maybe I missed something completely. Enlighten me with something other than folklore.

Report

Bill, 06/30/2009 19:03

Hey anti doomer Brian. Ain't West Side great? What great comments do you have now? Bring your friend the mayor to West Side and show him how safe it is. Sherry and McGoof can ride there too.

Report

now what?, 06/30/2009 16:31

Hmmm ...you are married with 2 salons but have to rent an apartment ? My bet is cash,gangs,drugs involved. Why don't you live in California ?

Report

Get out of our town, 06/30/2009 12:46

Does it make sense that someone who is the owner of 2 salons, one of them being in CALIFORNIA, rents an apartment in a bad section of Scranton? Does anyone else find this odd? If you were the owner of a salon in California, wouldn't you need to visit your business regularly, or at least occasionally, and pay for a flight back and forth across the country. Does that make good business sense? Why wouldn't you own 2 salons in Scranton, and....say...Taylor. California? Come on.

Report

Heard It All Now, 06/30/2009 12:18

I would bet that Tamiera is NOT from Scranton. Y'all, as she says, can believe she is from NY. 2 Salons? Are you kidding me? Lets find out where they are and see if she is up on her taxes. Maybe Mr Doherty or better yet, Sherry the hair dresser got her a loan?

Report

anti-doper, 06/30/2009 09:46

Hair salons? A hair salon like the gang-infested one across from Rite Aid on Main Ave? My suspicion is those places are fronts for shady activities.

Report

West Sider, 06/30/2009 08:01

Well now let's see ..she let her cousin watch her house....does she have a dog that needed care? Was she aware the cousin would have an underage pary ? what's with the violence between the people here? hmmm underage drinking,guns...my bet is drugs also involved.

Report

You are what your friends are, 06/30/2009 06:42

first off am married with three kids and yes i did graduate and own two hair salons one n scranton and one in california yes am the boss i dont work for anyone. My kids are well takin care of!! no i didn't have any kids in high school!!!
ya'll can judge me all u want and no everything isn't drug related before u run with something get your facts straight!!!

Report

tamiera, 06/30/2009 01:39

To Researcher: I have no doubt this young lady graduated from PA schools- I'm sure she had a few of the kids while in school. And I have a feeling that the good taxpayers of PA are paying to feed and dress those kids. And I also have a feeling that there is no baby daddy around. I wonder where this fine young lady works? (sarcasm)

Wait about ten years and see what Scranton looks like. You can't even go to the Steamtown mall due to the thugs that loaf around outside. I fear Scranton will not recover from this invasion - get out now.

Report

Out of Ws, 06/29/2009 21:35

Legion of Dopes - I agree with you 100%. The idiots on this website take every opportunity to blame the mayor for EVERYTHING! They also try to scare people into thinking that there is not enough police patrol or fire fighters. Everytime there is an emergency in my area of Scranton (which isn't often - and I do not live in GR)) it seems as though we have an abundance of police and fire fighters. The mayor is simply trying to have more police and fire fighters on shifts when the majority of emergencies occur....makes perfect sense to the average citizen. Also, the mayor is proposing a 49 hour work week as opposed to a 42 hour work week - thus, saving money in OT. I think he is a genious!!! Please people - get over the scare tactics! That approach hasn't worked in the past 3 mayoral elections!

Report

Eddie, 06/29/2009 18:21

For Mary: Yes, sister DID recruit low lifes to this area. Evidently you don't get out of Scranton much. It is a known fact there were bill boards advertising to come here because "Sister" saw that they got freebies.

Report

know it, 06/29/2009 16:33

As usual "Legion of Dopes" has all the answers. Like Mr. Doherty has everything under control. We have Sister sneekers to blame and for sure her new fill in still has the low lifes coming in. Have the train coming and we will have more crime. We need more policeman on foot.

Report

anti-legion-of dopes, 06/29/2009 16:31

That neighborhood has gone to the dogs. The clientele at the Novembrino pool looks like something out of the Bronx.

Report

West Sider, 06/29/2009 13:51

First off, no one deserves to be shot under any circumstances because eventually you will be caught and prosecuted. Once caught your life as you knew it, is over.

For the person listed as OUT OF Scranton For GOOD- Tamiera is a high school graduate of Pennsylvania, so she is a product of your state education system, now run with that you ignorant individual. Instead of trying to humiliate her be a solution to the on-going problem but you chose to run for good.

For the person listed as MIKE FROM Scranton – She is a mother and her home was not a cover-up for a drug den. You need to think before you speak and if your are so diligent in researching your environment you would see this individual is contributing to your society in a positive way by being an entrepreneur and bringing tax revenue to the community and paying federal taxes as well so as far as welfare your wrong again.

As for the incident it’s tragic and those who committed this crime will be brought to justice guarantee. One thing about young people they cannot keep there mouth shut. The victim of this shooting was beaten terribly by these individuals on a previous occasion so I ask all of you bloggers if you have already beaten the individual with your homies in a fist fight why is there a need to come back days later and ambush him? The answer is because they are cowards. Only cowards operate that way. But judgment day is coming and your life just ended over a petty altercation because you think you tough and want to show your homies you’re the man. But remember you no the man behind bars you are somebody else’s property, know you cannot come to this gentlemen and say your sorry because you reacted before you thought the process through.

Everyone has there opinion and speculation on what happen but what if the women and her kids were home and they were injured are you going to say they deserved it as well because at the end of the day a woman and her kids lived there and he was her relative visiting. Stop being narrow minded people and start looking at the bigger picture. The cop that lived across the street, where was he, any other time he outside minding others business, but no where to be found this particular evening, how convenient.

The people of Scranton have to take back Scranton. You are sometimes a victim of your environment but you must make a chose about how you want to live your life and whether or not you want to be a productive member of society or not. The mayor makes policy but you the people have to take back your city and throw the riff raff out. But also remember if this was your family member you would defend them and let the city know they were not a thug and just a good individual. Remember, the world in which we live to day if you look at an individual wrong or say something to them they construe as disrespectful they are ready to harm you.

May god bless and keep your city safe from harm!

Report

Researcher, 06/29/2009 13:32

HELPSCRANTON...I agree with you 100%. I live just outside of Scranton, because of what its turned into. But I do have family that lives in West Side, and if you take a look around them, its the rental properties that are bringing in the scums...and they dont' take care of their properties. They end up looking like crap...the landlords don't take care of the property either, they just want the check. Its ridiculous! I also think the train would bring lots of opportunity to the area...but with landlords like there are, we will also see more poverty and decline!

Report

SaveScranton, 06/29/2009 12:33

Mary, You are dead wrong. She did recruit. I saw the flyers and signs in NY. Get your head out your arse.

D, Yes most of the violent crimes committed here are by people from out of the area, Like NY, and NJ. It is what it is. Look at this area, and Wilkes Barre. Its changed, unfortunately for the worse.

Report

John, 06/29/2009 12:24

Did somebody actually say that the train would bring even more crime? To the person whom wrote the comment, have you ever been to Penn Station or any other public bus system or train system outside of Scranton? The police use dogs before passengers enter the train to sniff for drugs and metal detectors to unmask weapons. If Scranton uses these same tactics I am sure the TRAIN would provide the educated people in Scranton an opportunity to work in other regions that provide better salary. I'm one of those people and I hope they construct this train system soon. There is a difference between you and I. You're a coward of change. Where there are cowards of change, there are thugs that recognize your weaknesses and take over your once beloved city. Get educated, motivated, and bring money to the city. Also, raising home prices and taxes won't keep this scum-bags out. Raise rent and rid of welfare then see how many dope slingers want to move to Scranton. There's the old way and then there's the new way. Apparently your old way hasn't worked for years, try something different, accept change, if not move to the midwest. All I see up here are racist, blue-collared, underpaid people whom are mad at the world. You blame it on everyone else. Blame yourself for doing nothing! Get out of your houses, make a larger presence in your neighborhood. Show these thugs they have no place here. Scranton is suppose to be the melting pot of the country. Yeah it is, melting right into the ground because people think they care but really, what have you done for your city or your neighbors? Why aren't these landlords checking on their homes anyway or whom they are renting to?

Report

HELPSCRANTON, 06/29/2009 11:35

Man shot twice in West Scranton, in critical condition

Obama Wants You to Return to School

Obama Urges Homeowners to Refinance

Obama Backs Auto Insurance Regulation

48 posted comments

Documentary puts Polka King Jan Lewan back in spotlight

Coroner: Police report on crash doesn't explain why wreck went unnoticed


Site Web