Police block off road in South Middleton after shooting rampage (updated 2:30 p.m.)
Kyle Edwards charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and terroristic threats
Images
A combination of alcohol, weapons and words led to a 9-hour incident Tuesday night in the 100 block of Old Town Road in South Middleton Township.
According to an affidavit of probable cause filed with District Judge Susan Day, the incident began after an argument between Kyle Edwards, 28, and his father, Martin.
Edwards, who was said to be “heavily intoxicated,” ended an argument by telling his dad, “If I had a gun right now, I’d kill you.”
The elder man didn’t take the threat seriously and went to bed. But when he heard gun fire, he, his wife, other son and son’s girlfriend fled the residence and went to the home of a neighbor.
That’s when, according to the affidavit, Kyle Edwards, who had fired a 9 millimeter semi-automatic pistol and a 12-gauge shotgun into the woods behind the residence “multiple times” approached a camper who was staying in the yard of the Edwards home.
Edwards confronted the camper, Steven Black II, whom he knew, injuring about money Black owed him. Black told Edwards he’d pay him back “soon,” but Edwards pointed a shotgun at Black.
Black was able to escape uninjured after about 15 minutes.
The Pennsylvania State Police and Special Emergency Response Team responded to the incident and discovered Edwards had returned to his home.
Police surrounded the home through Tuesday night and Edwards was taken into custody without incident Wednesday morning.
Edwards was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and terroristic threats.
The shooting began around 9:15 p.m., according to neighbors. “We were counting the shells and the shooting and we counted up into the forties,” Tammy Keller said this morning. Of the suspect, she added: “He was in camo gear and he knows the woods.”
Keller said the family was told by Cumberland County Control officials to “stay inside and stay low” and they did as told throughout the night.
“My husband has shotguns and he kept one loaded and sat in the chair all night while we slept on the floor,” Keller said.
While more than 20 police officers surrounded the street throughout the night, some were unaware that anything unusual was going on.
“We had no idea what was happening. Nobody notified us,” added Cynthia Smith, a neighbor who lives down the road. “We heard shots, but out here you don’t think anything of it.”
The Edwards home is located a few hundred feet from Mt. Holly Fish and Game. The area is heavily wooded.
Old Town Road was closed from about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday until about 8 a.m. Wednesday.






