Crime & Safety

Police Make Arrest in West Ward Shooting

Easton officials promise increased police presence following weeks of violent crime.

A police raid Thursday morning in the West Ward led authorities to arrest a man suspected of shooting at a home in that neighborhood earlier in the week.

Sharif Gray, 20, was picked up at 1016 Ferry St. following twin 6 a.m. raids by Easton police and members of the state police's Special Emergency Response Team. He is charged with four counts each of reckless endangerment and shooting at an occupied structure, as well as a illegal gun possession charge.

Police say Gray fired shots at 1026 Ferry Street on Tuesday night. They suspect he may have ties to the Bloods street gang. He was being held in in lieu of $200,000 bail.

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Easton officials announced the arrest Thursday in a news conference that was also designed to address concerns about a number of recent violent crimes in the city.

"If you commit a crime in Easton, my only advice is do not rest your head at night," said Police Chief Carl Scalzo, who said his department will put more officers on the street, and redeploy manpower to target specific neighborhoods of the city.

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Thursday's raids followed weeks of violent incidents in the city, which include:

  • The shooting of two men by a man who is still at large.
  • A shooting in the West Ward which left a dead. A Northampton County grand jury is investigating that case.
  • A in which a gun was used. Two men have been cited for their involvement in that case.
  • A that injured a woman, and  stabbing in the West Ward . No arrests have been made in either case.

Mayor Sal Panto noted that today's raids happened in the same neighborhood where the city recently.

"We had to show them this is changing," he said.

He also responded to criticisms that he's kept silent on the recent violent crimes -- aruging that it's traditionally the police's job to interact with the media -- and that the city isn't doing enough.

"When you start to talk about recidivism programs, you talk about mental illness programs, we don't do that," Panto said.

However, he said there are steps the city can take beyond traditional police work, such as working with landlords to ensure they do background checks on tenants.

"A credit history is 10 bucks," Panto said.

Police say they are also seeking three people suspected of selling heroin in the city: Tyree Cherry, 28, Devaun Ralph, 24, and Kiara Smith, 18. Police suspect all of them have ties to the Bloods. 

Gang activity in Easton was tied to a wave of violent crime that hit the city in 2005, 2006 and 2007, including on 13th Street in November 2007.

The raids on Thursday also targeted a building at 621 Ferry St., because police said Gray could have been staying there. Police would not comment on a motive for the shooting.


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