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A major road in Westmoreland County, in Youngwood, Pennsylvania, had been closed due to an active shooter situation; police later identified the shooter as David Joseph Havranek.
Local police sent out a message on social media that the road, State Route 119, was closed off “as troopers are on the scene of a barricaded gunman situation. Please find an alternate route and avoid the area if possible,” adding that they would update information as it would become available.
Reportedly, local residents were also told to seek shelter in their basements. Those who were unable to return to their homes were told to go to Youngwood fire hall to keep warm.
Police later identified the shooter as David Joseph Havranek. The following statement was given on social media:
“We believe David Joseph Havranek exited a residence at 404 S 4th Street in Youngwood earlier this morning and fired several shots. Some of those shot damaged property. We have credible information that David is barricaded inside the 4th Street address.”
Westmoreland Community College later issued a statement on social media assuring that the situation had been contained. The following statement was released on social media:
“ALERT: Active shooter situation @ Youngwood Sunoco. Police have situation contained. Advising students, faculty, staff to avoid area. Campus is open.”
According to reports from Trib Live,, Havranek was still barricaded inside the residence at noon.
What eye-witnesses were saying about the incident?
According to Trib Live, Anna Vukovich, a nearby resident, said that she heard six gunshots during the incident. She also released the following statement:
“I heard one gunshot and then several more after that. There was a lull … then I started counting and I heard six more after that.”
Youngwood resident Clarence Givens also gave the following statement:
“Sometimes you can hear gunshots from the Youngwood Sportsman’s Club, and that drives him crazy, but this just sounded like it was extremely close…It just kept going and going…I let (Larry) in and told my wife, ‘we’re not going out for a while.”