On September 12, 31-year-old Eric Frein opened fire on two policemen, killing Cpl. Bryon Dickson and wounding Trooper Alex Douglass. Forty-eight days later, on Thursday, October 30, police captured the alleged cop-killer and Pennsylvania resident.
USA Today said Frein is “described by authorities as an anti-government survivalist with an inexplicable grudge against law enforcement.” The reason for Frein’s strong hatred toward the police force is unknown, but his friends described him as a man severely bothered by the actions and decisions of the government.
The search was intensified by the equally strong but opposing forces, with Frein seeming to be ahead of the game with his survivalist expertise. Strangely, he left sloppy evidence of his presence, including artillery and personal journals.
Several schools were closed in the central areas of the search, although many believed it was unlikely that Frein wanted to harm civilians. Interviews of local private business owners showed frustrated civilians, as their customers were simply too scared to risk being in the area.
Frein’s father, a former major in the U.S. army, said that his son “doesn’t miss,” and others who know Frein’s son and were interviewed gave the impression that he is dangerous as well. Police took the notion seriously and warned residents to be cautious and alert.
Maddie Malley, a junior at York Suburban, said “I think he [Frein] needs to go to prison, and what he did was not okay.” Many people expected a dramatic face-off when Frein was captured — including Frein being shot down. “I think that cops should detain people with the least amount of force,” Malley said, “but if they’re being shot at then it’s alright for the cops to shoot the person.”
If Frein had resisted his capture, it’s almost certain that violence would have ensued; this is probably what most people were expecting. Surprisingly, Frein has complied with authorities, and defeat is evident on his face in pictures released by the press. Frein is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on November 12.
