Chief: Arrest Near in Neston Heights Shooting

Easton officials said Tuesday evening that they are close to apprehending and arresting whoever Neighborhood early Sunday evening.

"All the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fit together," Easton Police Chief Carl Scalzo said at the city council workshop meeting.

Fears that violent crime becoming the norm in Neston Heights, built on the former site of the troubled Delaware Terrace apartments, are unfounded, the chief said.

"The line has been drawn in the sand. It's a zero tolerance neighborhood," Scalzo added.

Mayor Sal Panto praised police efforts and said the city will not allow the newly constructed single family houses become a magnet for crime, especially when residents and the city have so much invested.

"I was very unhappy ," he said, adding that the model lease for the rental houses doesn't allow residents to even have legal weapons, and it holds lessees accountable for the company that they keep.

Both Panto and Councilwoman Sandra Vulcano said they want to see any Neston Heights residents involved with the shooting evicted.

"The developer is definitely unhappy," Panto added. "He still has 50 houses to sell yet."

Two men were shot and wounded Sunday near the intersection of Ann and East Bird streets in Neston Heights. Police have said they believe it was not a random shooting, but stemmed from some sort of dispute.

The Mayor said the city hopes to release more information about the shootings in the coming days.

"I can definitely say I feel the police department has a hand on all the pieces of the puzzle," Panto said. "Once the investigation wraps up, we'll be able to give more information."