Two women were killed, a third hospitalized and a service dog was killed in a machete attack at the Jermyn Apartments in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania, late Tuesday, authorities said. Scranton police arrested 38-year-old Michael Willie Marquis Woods outside the building and he is being held without bail pending a preliminary hearing set for Dec. 23.

Officers responded after multiple 911 calls reporting screams and an assailant in the sixth-floor hallway of the older apartment building, police said. Security-camera footage from that hallway captured much of the sequence of events, local prosecutors said; District Attorney Brian Gallagher told reporters the video shows “the vast majority of this incident” and called it “horrific to watch.”

According to police accounts and a criminal affidavit summarized in local reporting, officers detained Woods as he was leaving the building wearing bloody clothing and clutching a bloody machete. Investigators say two women died of wounds sustained in the hallway and a third woman was taken to a hospital in critical condition. A service dog belonging to one of the victims was also killed in the attack.

Thomas Carroll, chief of the Scranton Police Department, said the department’s training for active-threat situations guided officers’ response and that the event “validates our training.” Carroll said officers secured the scene, rendered aid where possible and began a criminal investigation focused on the footage and witness interviews.

Gallagher said prosecutors will present the evidence, including the surveillance video, at the Dec. 23 preliminary hearing as they evaluate charges to be pursued in court. Authorities have not released additional details about the relationship, if any, between the suspect and the victims, and investigators cautioned that their review of the footage and witness statements is ongoing.

Residents on the building’s sixth floor described shock and disbelief. “Part of life. That’s how it is today. It’s sad to say it, I mean, that was inexcusable,” said Paul Burdulas, a resident. Neighbor Erik Zimmerman described the building as quiet and said many residents are older people and veterans: “It’s a nice, quiet place, so it’s pretty shocking.”

Police moved Woods to the Lackawanna County Prison where he is being held without bail. The Scranton Police Department and the district attorney’s office continue to investigate the sequence of events captured on the sixth-floor cameras, gathering additional testimony and forensic evidence to complete the charging packet.

The attack has prompted questions about protections for service animals. Under the U.S. Americans with Disabilities Act, service dogs must be allowed to accompany handlers with disabilities in all areas of public entities and businesses where the public is permitted, including hotels, restaurants and public transportation. Communities and property managers are also expected to enforce ADA requirements that service animals remain under handler control by harness, leash, tether, voice or signal, and may exclude animals only from sterile areas or if an animal poses a direct threat through uncontrolled behavior.

Advocates note the importance of service dogs to the wellbeing of their handlers. Studies show service dogs can significantly reduce PTSD symptoms, depression and anxiety and improve quality of life and social functioning for people with disabilities, particularly among veterans who rely on these animals for stability and safety.

Local reporting summarized the affidavit and surveillance accounts; the summary is available at WVIA. Police and prosecutors said they will release further details as their investigation and the preliminary hearing process proceed.

Source

Original reporting: view the original article.