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As he attempted to hide in the rafters of his garage at his Gamble Township home at 1822 Southard Road about 6:45 a.m. Monday, felony fugitive Brian James Murray refused repeated orders by law enforcement to "come out with his hands up," according to a state police affidavit.
Finally, members of a Williamsport Police Task Force were forced to fire two non-lethal rounds at the 48-year-old man, striking him in the buttocks and right leg, it was stated in the court document. Investigators did not say if he received any medical treatment.
Murray was then taken into custody on two felony warrants plus a third set of charges stemming from his refusal to surrender when troopers and other officers surrounded his garage on Monday morning. The latest charges included felony flight to avoid apprehension, resisting arrest and obstructing the administration of law, both misdemeanors.
The original arrest warrant charged Murray with burglary, trespassing and theft (all felonies) for breaking into a Pennsylvania Game Commission property at 136 Game Farm Road in Eldred Township and stealing a rifle from the structure overnight June 1, police said. A sweatshirt, drill bits and credit cards were stolen from the same building, which Murray allegedly entered by removing a window air conditioner, police said. In the same warrant, Murray was alleged to enter a shed located on the same property and remove assorted tools, police said. The burglary was reported about 6 a.m. on June 2.
About 11 hours after the burglary was reported, a state trooper was dispatched to Warrensville and Lick Run roads in Loyalsock Township to investigate a report of a man in the area who was a possible suspect in the break-in. The trooper came upon the man at a bridge and questioned him about his identity, age and social security number. The man, later identified as Murray, gave the trooper a false name. Suspecting the man was untruthful in his answers, the trooper attempted to take him into custody
However, Murray then suddenly jumped off the bridge, landed in a stream below and took off running, it was stated in a second affidavit. Several troopers joined in the pursuit, but Murray eluded capture, police said.
For his alleged actions in this incident, Murray was charged with felony flight to avoid apprehension, evading arrest, false identification to law enforcement, disorderly conduct and recklessly endangering another person. The last charge stems from him "fleeing through deep water and dangerous wooded terrain to avoid apprehension," police said.
Following his arraignment before District Judge Gary Whiteman on all three sets of charges, Murray was incarcerated in the Lycoming County Prison on no bail.