Man shot in Old Forge is charged for break-in
Mar. 20—A 34-year-old man shot Sunday during a fight in Old Forge faces criminal charges that he broke into a restaurant during the lead-up to the gun blast.
Julian Fabrizio suffered a gunshot wound to the left side of his upper body, court paperwork filed by borough Sgt. Dennis Terhune shows. He was wounded during an altercation with his daughter's grandfather.
The child's grandparents were watching the girl following Fabrizio's arrest last week by Taylor police on assault charges.
Fabrizio wanted to see his child Sunday, police said. He first went to Largo's Place, a restaurant on South Main Street where she may have been, and broke through the front door, a criminal complaint states. Police Chief Jason Dubernas said the restaurant is an agreed-upon drop-off place for the child. The building is owned by the child's grandmother, according to an affidavit.
However, Fabrizio found only a woman hired to clean the building, the police said.
Several calls of a suspicious man there reached 911 dispatchers.
Fabrizio fled at the sound of approaching police sirens, the police said. The cleaning woman noted he left in a light-blue vehicle.
About 30 minutes after the police started looking for Fabrizio, a report came to dispatchers of a gunshot victim at 103 Exeter Circle.
There, police learned Fabrizio fought with the homeowner, who officers said is his daughter's grandfather, and was shot by him in the process.
Emergency call records indicate the homeowner, who is not charged with a crime and who declined to comment when reached Monday, called 911.
Dubernas said investigators are looking into whether the shooting was done in self-defense.
The man Fabrizio fought with had a "large red bleeding wound" on the right side of his face, according to an affidavit.
Video of the incident did not capture the shooting, but it did show Fabrizio attempt to push his way into the house, police said. During the scuffle, Fabrizio grabbed the other man and pulled him down the stairs.
After the gunshot, the police said the homeowner rendered medical aid to Fabrizio.
Dubernas said investigators recovered the 9 mm handgun used in the shooting.
Fabrizio's blue Subaru sedan was taken on a flatbed truck about 6:30 p.m. Dubernas said it was seized to recover Fabrizio's cellphone.
The incident remained under investigation by borough police and the Lackawanna County district attorney's office. A message for District Attorney Mark Powell was not returned.
Fabrizio is charged with burglary, criminal mischief, simple assault, disorderly conduct and harassment.
It was not clear from court records if he had an attorney.
He is in the Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $250,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled March 28.
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