From the Editor's Desk

Easton Had Two Police Shootings 10 Years Ago

Tuesday's shooting of a man by a police officer on the South Side comes 10 years after a pair of incidents where Easton police officers shot suspects.

On Tuesday night, a man was shot by an Easton police officer in the city's South Side. As of Wednesday evening, city police had said very little about the incident, beyond identifying the man who was shot and the officer -- Patrolman Eric Campbell -- who did the shooting. Covering the shooting late last Tuesday night (and early Wednesday morning), I realized I'd been in similar situations 10 years ago. Twice in 2002, while working as a newspaper reporter, I covered incidents in Easton where city police officers used their firearms during an investigation. The first case happened in February, just a few blocks from the scene of last week's shooting. On the night of Feb. 25, 2002, a man named Michael Hogan was shot and wounded by police in …

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Man in Police Shooting Faces Heroin Charges

Nelson A. Mayers, reportedly shot by Easton police, is accused of possession of heroin.

A man who was reportedly shot by Easton police Tuesday night had heroin with him at the time of the shooting. Nelson A. Mayers, 25, was charged Wednesday with possession of a controlled substance. Police have not yet identified the man shot by an officer during an investigation on the South Side Tuesday, but family members and witnesses at the scene have said it was Mayers. Officers were in the neighborhood responding to a report of gunshots. At some point one officer -- who has not been identified and has been placed on paid leave -- shot a man he encountered on the 600 block of Wirebach Street. Court papers filed with District Judge Daniel Corpora offer no direct connection to the shooting.  However, the affadavit of probale cause says …

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Easton Police Shoot Man During Investigation

Shooting by Easton police follows two reports of gunfire on the South Side.

A man was shot and wounded by an Easton police officer responding to a report of gunfire Tuesday night on the city's South Side. Police did not release the man's name, but family members at the scene identified him as Nelson Mayers. The family members and several witnesses said Mayers was shot in the leg. According to police, the incident began at 9:38 p.m. with a call that shots had been fired in the 100 block of W. St. Joseph Street. About 20 minutes later, another shots-fired call came in at the 400 block of Williams Street. At 10:14 p.m., a police officer investigating the gunfire came across a man near the intersection of Centre and Wirebach streets.  "The officer later shot one male in the 600 Block of Wireback [sic] St. during that …

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Man Shot Dead in Easton Friday Night Identified

Police are searching for the suspect in a fatal shooting around 9 p.m. Friday.

Easton police have filed homicide charges against a man suspected in a fatal shooting Friday night in the West Ward. Police responded to a report of shots fired and found a man between houses. He died from a gunshot wound. It was the city's third homicide this year. Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek has ruled the death a homicide, according to a news release from city police. He identified the victim as George Jeter, 28, of S. 14th Street in Easton.  On Saturday night, police issued an arrest warrant for Naheem Adams, 20, for Jeter's death, and charged him with criminal homicide. Adams is considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 immediately. Jeter died of multiple gunshot wounds, the coroner said…

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Easton Shootings Prompt Anti-Violence March

Easton school board's Frank Pintabone plans anti-violence march April 21.

Prompted by a series of recent shootings in Easton -- one of which left a man dead -- an Easton Area School Board member is putting together a "Stop the Violence" rally and march across the city. Frank Pintabone, who was elected last year, says march will happen in two parts: South Side residents will depart from the Easton Area Neighborhood Center and head to Centre Square. People in the West Ward will start at Centennial Park, and also end up at the square. Once in the square, a rally will begin around 2 p.m. "I decided to put this event together after seeing the recent rash of violence in OUR community, we as residents must get involved and stand united," Pintabone said in a news release. Four people have been shot in Easton in the …

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