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Police: Christy steals gun, cash

Fugitive Shawn Christy has been accused of stealing a shotgun and other items from a business located outside of McAdoo, the town where he last lived.

Christy is wanted by U.S. Marshals for alleged threats against President Donald Trump and others.

He has been a fugitive since June 20 when marshals attempted to arrest him for threatening Trump. He is also wanted by the Schuylkill County District Attorney for missing a court date for his alleged assault of the mayor of McAdoo.

The break-in was reported Wednesday morning at Skitco Ironworks, located along Route 309 between McAdoo and Hazleton. State police said the items taken included a Beretta shotgun, money and food.

Skitco is located in Luzerne County in an area where it borders Carbon and Schuylkill counties.

A person picking up the phone at Skitco said they couldn’t comment, and the owner was not available.

“He isn’t talking. He said ‘it’s on the news,’” the person said.

Skitco is located about 7 miles from the Skipper Dipper ice cream shop, where Christy was reported hiding in a dumpster about a week ago, a few days after he was spotted on surveillance cameras inside the business.

It appears that Christy also used a computer at the business to update his Facebook page. Late Tuesday night, a since-deleted post appeared on Christy’s account. Deputy U.S. Marshal Robert Clark told the AP he believes the post was made from inside Skitco.

A screenshot which purported to show the post was reposted on a Facebook group which includes Christy’s parents as administrators.

“Dakota Meyer, it was really cute how you tried to set me up with a rifle that didn’t work,” the post read.

It goes on to claim that Meyer, a Medal of Honor recipient, took out loans that the poster believes were paid to the mayor of McAdoo, Stephen Holly, and the officer who charged Christy with the assault, Frederick Lahovski.

“Don’t worry I still got copies of the two loans you took out on 2-27-2017 under DM Tactical, $60,000.00 & $350,000.00. $60,000 Mayor Holly, $350,000 OFC. Lahovski right? I set you up bro, got you to play your hand,” the post read.

The post also claimed that Christy was not the person inside a dumpster outside of the Skipper Dippers ice cream shop spotted by a worker taking out the trash approximately a week ago.

“By the way, who was the crisis actor who was dumpster diving at Skipper Dipper’s? I robbed the place, I never dumpster dived there,” the post read.

The U.S. Marshals are seeking Christy on a federal warrant for allegedly threatening the president and other elected officials.

The warrant was issued in June after Christy allegedly posted on his Facebook that he would “put a bullet in the head” of President Donald Trump and Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli.

However he was known to law enforcement, particularly the U.S. Marshals, before that.

In June, he promised to use “full lethal force” against any officer who attempts to detain him. A few days later, he missed a court date in the alleged assault of McAdoo Mayor Stephen Holly, and the Schuylkill County District Attorney obtained a bench warrant for his arrest.

In February, U.S. Marshals arrested Christy in Austin, Texas after he missed a court date for making threats against a tax collection clerk from Northampton County in 2017. He pleaded guilty to terroristic threats in that case in April.

He also has a history of making threats against officials which date back to 2010, when former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin sought and received a restraining order against him.

State police said multiple law enforcement agencies are searching the area around Skitco Iron Works.

They encouraged anyone with an alarm activation to contact 911 immediately so officers can search the property.

“If Christy is observed, he is to be considered armed and dangerous. Do not approach and contact 911 immediately. Do not delay in calling,” trooper Anthony Petroski said in the release.

Coal lands become media staging ground
Shawn Christy
Troopers from the Hazleton Barracks of the Pennsylvania State Police believe fugitive Shawn Christy broke into Skitco Iron Works in Hazle Township, 1 mile north of McAdoo, late Tuesday, allegedly stealing money, food and a Beretta shotgun. DONALD R. SERFASS/SPECIAL TO THE TIMES NEWS