Crime
Suspect who shot two Pennsylvania State Troopers in Antrim Township ID’d as Lamar Foy
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Pa. — The use of deadly force by Pennsylvania State Troopers during a violent confrontation on Interstate 81 in Antrim Township was “absolutely necessary and 100% justified,” according to Franklin County District Attorney Ian Brink.
The incident, which occurred Wednesday evening near Exit 3 by a Sheetz store, left two Troopers seriously wounded and the gunman dead.
During a Thursday press briefing, Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Commissioner Christopher Paris described the encounter as a “fierce gunfight” that unfolded following a high-speed pursuit.
The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Lamar Foy of Maryland, opened fire on Troopers as they attempted to remove him from a van following a chase.
Two State Troopers were struck multiple times during the exchange of gunfire.
They were later identified as Trooper Thomas Pack, 23, and Trooper Lucas Amarose, 31.
Trooper Pack, who joined PSP in June 2024, was treated and released from the hospital and is now recovering at home.
Trooper Amarose, a 2017 academy graduate and Mt. Carmel native who previously played offensive line for Wilkes University, remains hospitalized in serious condition.
A third Trooper involved in the gunfire was not injured.
Commissioner Paris emphasized that tourniquets and trauma first-aid kits were instrumental in saving both officers’ lives after they were hit.
Authorities said the sequence began around 6:14 p.m., when Troopers were alerted to a retail theft at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Guilford Township.
Surveillance footage showed three suspects — later identified as Foy, 21-year-old Amir Swift, and 21-year-old Giani McGowan, both of Baltimore — leaving the store with more than $1,000 worth of merchandise.
Troopers soon located the trio’s Chevrolet van traveling on I-81 near Exit 16 and attempted a traffic stop. Foy, the driver, refused to pull over, initiating a high-speed chase southbound on the interstate.
Spike strips were deployed near Exit 3, successfully disabling the vehicle. At that point, Swift and McGowan exited the van and surrendered to police without incident. However, Foy remained inside, prompting Troopers to approach and attempt to break the driver’s side window to extract him.
That’s when Foy allegedly opened fire, striking both Pack and Amarose multiple times. Despite their injuries, the Troopers returned fire, fatally wounding the suspect. Authorities said Foy exited the van while continuing to shoot before he was stopped.
District Attorney Brink confirmed that the use of lethal force was “necessary to neutralize a dangerous and ongoing threat.”
“This was absolutely necessary,” Brink said. “It was 100% justified — no question in my mind.”
Investigators recovered a large quantity of THC products, plastic bags containing unknown white and brown powdery substances, unmarked capsules, and a substantial amount of cash inside the van, according to court filings.
Authorities also discovered additional drug paraphernalia.
Both Swift and McGowan have been charged with multiple felonies, including:
- Retail theft
- Conspiracy to commit retail theft
- Manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to deliver controlled substances
They also face two misdemeanor drug-related charges. Both suspects are being held in Franklin County Jail without bail, with preliminary hearings scheduled for October 21.
Authorities confirmed that the investigation remains active, but emphasized there is no ongoing threat to the public.
Crime
Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis shot in the leg by an immigration agent in Minneapolis
On January 14, 2025, federal law enforcement personnel were engaged in a targeted enforcement operation involving Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national who has been present in the United States since 2022.
The operation escalated into a high-speed pursuit, a physical confrontation, and an ambush by multiple subjects, necessitating the use of a defensive firearm discharge by a federal agent.
At approximately 6:50 PM, federal officers initiated a targeted traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Sosa-Celis.
The subject refused to comply with law enforcement commands and attempted to flee the scene.
During the pursuit, the subject’s vehicle collided with a stationary, parked car.
Following the collision, the subject abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
A federal agent pursued the suspect on foot and successfully intercepted him. As the agent attempted to effect an arrest, the subject became combative, resulting in a violent struggle on the ground.
During this confrontation, two additional male subjects emerged from a nearby residence to intervene.
These individuals reportedly ambushed the agent, utilizing a snow shovel and a broom handle to strike the officer.
The situation escalated when the primary suspect, Sosa-Celis, regained his footing and joined the two additional subjects in the assault.
Reports indicate the suspect struck the agent with a blunt object (identified as either the shovel or broom handle).
Citing an immediate threat to his life while being outnumbered and actively assaulted by three individuals, the agent discharged his service weapon in self-defense.
The discharge struck Sosa-Celis in the lower extremity (leg). Following the shot, all three suspects retreated into a nearby apartment complex and initiated a barricade situation.
Following a brief standoff, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) successfully secured the perimeter and apprehended all three individuals without further injury.
Both the federal agent and Sosa-Celis were transported to a local medical facility for treatment.
Images from the scene showed Sosa-Celis conscious and alert during transport.
All three subjects involved in the assault are currently in the custody of ICE.
Further charges related to the assault on a federal officer and resisting arrest are pending review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.