The 59-year-old, who had a long-standing property dispute with the township, said he targeted the meeting because he sought to shoot all the supervisors and the township solicitor, court papers say.
After Rockne Newell shot five people Monday night in the Ross Township Municipal Building -- killing two on the spot and mortally wounding a third -- he had but one regret, according to court papers.
"I wish I killed more of them," he told a Pennsylvania State Police trooper who was escorting the Ross Township man to Pocono Medical Center for treatment of a gunshot wound, court papers said.
Newell, 59, of the 200 block of Flyte Road, targeted the meeting because "it was the only time he could get all of the township supervisors and the solicitor in a single location," court papers said.
Newell told police he intended to shoot all the supervisors and the solicitor and figured he would die in the effort, court papers said.
Newell was arraigned today by video from jail in front of District Judge Colleen Mancuso of Chestnuthill Township on three counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder and held without bail in the Monroe County jail, court papers said.
He is charged with killing township zoning officer David Fleetwood, who died at St. Luke's University Hospital in Fountain Hill; Gerald Kozic and James Laguardia, and with trying to kill Frank Piraino Jr. and Linda Kozic, court papers said.
Linda Kozic, who was the wife of Gerard Kozic, was shot in leg, police said. A bullet grazed the head of Piraino, 61, police said. And township Supervisor Howard Beers, 55, had a hand wound that could have been caused by debris rather than a bullet, police said.
The carnage could have been worse if not for the actions of Bernie Kozen and Mark Kresh, court papers and police said.
Newell began shooting a semiautomatic rifle at 7:19 p.m. through a window of the building, state police Lt. Col. George Bivens said today at a news conference in Hamilton Township. Bullets passed through a small office and into the meeting room, Bivens said.
Newell eventually entered the meeting room, still firing the rifle, Bivens said. The approximately 18 people in the room sought cover by overturning tables and chairs, Bivens said.
Newell left and went to a rented 2013 Chevrolet Impala with Texas license plates and took out a handgun, court papers said.
Kozen then jumped into action, Bivens said. The parks director alerted others that Newell was returning and tackled him as he entered the room, Bivens said.
Despite that Newell was still firing rounds, Kresh came to Kozen's aid, police say. Newell was shot in the leg at some point during the struggle, Bivens said.
Police Capt. Edward Hoke said Kresh and Kozen were courageous. Newell had 90 rounds of unused ammunition for his handgun, which authorities say he owned legally, police said. They are not yet sure about the ownership of the rifle.
"Truly heroic," Hoke said of the two men's actions. "They undoubtedly saved the lives of other people in that township meeting."
"This could have been much worse if it weren't for the actions of those two individuals," Bivens said.
As Kozen restrained Newell, the suspect was yelling, "You took my property (expletive)," court papers said.
Police said Newell had a long-running dispute with the township that dated back to at least 2004. His home was recently condemned and purchased by the township at a sheriff's sale, police said.
Police say they had no previous tangles with Newell, whose criminal record shows a single conviction of reckless endangerment from the 1980s.
Police say they knew of no threats of violence toward township officials despite the ongoing court battle over the property. Newell was not scheduled to appear at the meeting.
Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Robert Bartal said state police have secured the Flyte Road property that was under dispute and were searching for clues in the investigation. Initially, special units were brought in to ensure Newell had not booby-trapped the property, Bivens said.
A Ruger Mini-14 .223 caliber rifle was recovered along with several other items, according to a police accounting of what was found in the home.
Bartal said they have found a property in Hamilton Township where Newell had been staying and were in the process of obtaining a search warrant.
Bartal said that Newell was clearly targeting township officials when he went on the shooting spree, but said the actual rounds fired appeared to have been random.