Jose Duran Obituary, Death; – The Wayne County Coroner’s Office announced on Monday that a public safety officer who was fatally shot over the weekend in a gated community has been identified as 55-year-old Jose Duran from Tobyhanna.
Duran was shot and killed on Sunday afternoon in The Hideout, a gated residential area near Lake Ariel, by a man identified by state police as Lucas Gartrell, a resident of the community.
According to a criminal complaint filed late Sunday night, the 26-year-old alleged shooter killed Duran shortly after he had shot his parents.
The parents of Gartrell, identified as Lisa and Robert Gartrell, survived the incident and were transported to a hospital for surgery on Monday evening, as stated by Capt. Michael Walsh, the commander of Troop R. State police reported that they were in stable condition.
Community members informed investigators that they observed Gartrell wielding a rifle around the time the gunfire erupted, according to state police.
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear. Witnesses reported to state police that Gartrell suffers from bipolar disorder, as noted in the criminal complaint.
Gartrell attempted to escape the scene on a motorized bike as a large number of state troopers converged on the gated community.
Sgt. Michael Felsman, the commander of the Honesdale state police station, spotted Gartrell and pursued him. Gartrell crashed his bike near 51 Miller Road, and troopers apprehended him shortly thereafter.
State police reported that Gartrell was found in possession of ammunition, gun magazines, and several knives. He claimed to have left his rifle at his residence.
Gartrell faces charges including one count of criminal homicide and first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, two counts of attempted homicide, and multiple counts of aggravated assault.
Magisterial District Judge Jonathan J. Dunsinger arraigned Gartrell just before 11 p.m. on Sunday and ordered him to be jailed without bail.
