Crime
Victims killed in Beaver County shooting identified
Authorities have not disclosed further information about the couple or the nature of the incident.
UPDATE: Police confirmed to Channel2 NOW that a family of four was shot inside the home, leaving a mother and father dead at the scene and their two children who later succumbed to their injuries at a Pittsburgh hospital.
The victims have been identified as Michelle Hunt, her husband Bill Hunt, and their two children, Cody Hunt and CJ.
Authorities are investigating a tragic shooting incident in North Sewickley Township, Beaver County, that left two people dead and two others injured on Sunday night.
The shooting occurred on Shaffer Road, prompting a swift response from local law enforcement. Emergency medical teams arrived on the scene, and the two injured individuals were airlifted to a nearby hospital via medical helicopter for treatment. Their conditions remain undisclosed.
North Sewickley Police confirmed on Monday morning that the incident was contained, and there is no ongoing threat to the public.
However, they have not released additional details about the circumstances surrounding the shooting or potential suspects.
The two victims who lost their lives have been identified as Michelle Tomecsko Hunt and her husband, Bill Hunt.
Authorities have not disclosed further information about the couple or the nature of the incident.
The incident has left the small, close-knit community in shock. Jennifer Lanham, who works nearby, shared her disbelief.
“Everybody here knows everybody. We’re a very tight-knit community. Everybody looks out for one another. This is a tragedy beyond compare for our town,” Lanham said.
Lanham recounted how one of her employees informed her that police had requested nearby businesses to close as a precaution.
“It’s really hard to wrap your head around something like this. A multiple homicide in a small town—it’s staggering. You just don’t hear about things like this happening here,” she added.
Law enforcement has not yet provided details on the motive or any suspects involved in the shooting. The investigation remains active, and officials are urging anyone with information to come forward to assist in the case.
Further updates will be provided as authorities release more information about this tragic event.
MOBILE, AL – A man charged in connection with a fatal shooting outside an Alabama bar is claiming self-defense, as new details emerged during a preliminary hearing on Tuesday.
On February 1, officers from the Mobile Police Department responded to a reported shooting at the Alabama Bar & Lounge.
Upon arrival, authorities discovered that Hunter Lins and another man had been shot following an altercation outside the establishment.
Lins was transported to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The second victim, whose identity has not been disclosed, survived.
Matthew Sanders was subsequently arrested and charged with murder and first-degree assault in connection with the incident.
During Tuesday’s preliminary hearing, Sanders’ attorney, Jeff Deen, argued that his client acted in self-defense after being attacked. Deen claimed that surveillance footage supports this assertion, showing Sanders being “jumped on” before the shooting.
However, Lins’ stepsister, Kelsie Harvell, refuted that claim, asserting that the shooting was not an act of self-defense and could have been entirely avoided.
A homicide detective testified that multiple witnesses reported an argument between Sanders and Lins inside the bar near the pool table.
- A bartender allegedly instructed only Sanders to leave the bar.
- Lins followed him outside, reportedly to apologize.
- Once outside, a physical altercation ensued between Sanders and Lins, with Lins’ brother, known as “Rusty,” also getting involved.
- According to Rusty, he attempted to break up the fight, but Sanders retrieved a firearm from his vehicle and opened fire.
Deen countered this narrative, claiming that Sanders was attacked by the two brothers and was defending himself.
“He got jumped on at a bar. He left when he was told to, but then a crowd followed him outside and continued the fight,” Deen said. “I’m sorry someone got shot, but he brought it on himself.”
During testimony, the detective noted that Lins had a beer bottle during the altercation but discarded it before being shot, leaving him unarmed and defenseless.
Harvell questioned Sanders’ justification for self-defense, stating, “If he was able to open his car door to grab a gun and shoot two people, why wasn’t he able to get in the car and leave?”
Additionally, the District Attorney’s Office revealed that after the shooting, Sanders allegedly posted a video on Snapchat waving a gun and saying, “I told y’all to leave me alone… and to quit playing with me.”
Investigators later confirmed that the firearm seen in the video was the same weapon recovered at the crime scene.
During the hearing, Sanders’ defense requested a bond reduction, which was denied by the judge. He remains incarcerated at Metro Jail with a $250,000 bond.
The case is now moving to a grand jury for further review.