×

Alleged shooter’s guns seized

It remains unclear whether charges will be filed after a fatal Reade Township shooting last week, with the district attorney to issue a statement today.

State police at Ebensburg on Thursday retrieved two pistols and a shotgun from the Glasgow home of Mark Allen Landeck Jr., 21, 163 McClellan St., who shot and killed Wilmer “Pete” McClellan, 52, of Fallentimber on Wednesday night.

Police arrived at Landeck’s home about 10:30 p.m. and found McClellan dead of an apparent gunshot wound.

Police said they detained Landeck at the time of the shotting and noted that he had minor injuries, but he has not been charged or arrested.

Jen Hagens, spokeswoman for District Attorney Kelly Callihan, said Callihan plans to release a statement today about the shooting.

No other information will be released beforehand, Hagens said.

According to a search warrant request filed early Thursday with on-call Magisterial District Judge Richard Varner, Landeck told police McClellan had knocked on his door looking for help.

Landeck said McClellan said his all-terrain vehicle had broken down in the woods nearby.

Landeck told police that he tried to hand McClellan a cellphone through the front door but that McClellan forced his way into the home and began fighting with him.

Landeck said he warned McClellan that he was armed, but McClellan did not relent and said, “I’m going to kill you.”

Landeck said he then pulled a .45-caliber pistol from its holster and shot at least once, hitting McClellan in the chest.

Cambria County Coroner’s Office officials pronounced McClellan dead at 11:59 p.m.

Coroner Jeff Lees said Thursday an autopsy confirmed McClellan died of multiple gunshot wounds to the chest. His death was ruled a homicide.

Police carried out a search warrant Thursday and retrieved the .45-caliber Springfield pistol used in the shooting, which had one unfired round in the chamber. They also found two fired cartridges inside the home, along with an unfired seven-round magazine.

Police said they also removed a Stoeger Cougar .40-caliber pistol, a Mossberg 20-gauge shotgun and related magazines and shells, along with Landeck’s holster and cellphone.

A woman answering a call at the phone number listed for McClellan said she was speaking with an attorney and declined comment.

Landeck could not be reached for comment.

Lees said last week that he could not release more information related to the shooting, including how many times McClellan had been shot, how many rounds had been fired or whether McClellan might have been under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

He said a toxicology report is always requested for homicide investigations but that the results would take several weeks to come back.

Troopers noted in the search warrant that ambulance workers drove over what appeared to be a claymore-style mine in Landeck’s front yard early Thursday.

They called the state police Hazardous Device and Explosives Section, who determined the item was “a nonfunctional replica device.”

An investigation is ongoing.

Mirror Staff Writer Kelly Cernetich Brown is at 946-7520.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.39/week.

Subscribe Today