CANADENSIS, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania state police are defending themselves against complaints that they have unfairly denied residents access to their homes during the manhunt for a suspected killer.
The massive search for 31-year-old Eric Frein, who is charged with killing one trooper and wounding another, has resulted in frequent unannounced and indefinite roadblocks in the village of Canadensis. Some people have ended up sleeping in their cars because their neighborhoods were cordoned off.
In a statement Tuesday night, police said they have been “diligent in respecting the rights of the public while working hard to keep both residents and law enforcement personnel safe.”
Authorities say Frein ambushed the state police barracks in Blooming Grove on Sept 12, fatally shooting Cpl. Bryon Dickson and wounding Trooper Alex Douglass.
Police believe Frein, a Canadensis resident and self-taught survivalist, has been hiding in the dense woods surrounding his neighborhood.