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What started as a snide remark over a photograph at the gym sent via the social media site Snapchat has led to criminal attempted homicide charges against a Montoursville-area teen, state police said.
Mandon Jacob Watts, 18, of 153 Confair Parkway, allegedly fired five rounds using a .22 caliber handgun at six other teens who arrived in two separate vehicles to Resurrection Cemetery in Fairfield Township shortly after 6 p.m. on Aug. 7, according to an affidavit by Trooper Brian M. Siebert.
The complaint was released Thursday following Watts' arraignment on the charge and related offenses before District Judge Gary A. Whiteman, who denied bail.
Troopers say on Aug. 5, when a
juvenile, who police identified as Victim 1 (of six), posted a photograph of himself at the gym on Snapchat. The following day, a Snapchat account username of "GHOST5K30S" commented on the photograph, saying the individual was "small," the trooper stated.
This upset the individual, who returned a message to the commenter, later identified as Watts.
The next day, Watts responded back to the individual and they exchanged chat messages; Watts recommended meeting him at Resurrection Cemetery, 4323 Lycoming Mall Drive to fight, the trooper stated. The animosity continued to escalate.
At 4:55 p.m. that day, three juveniles arrived in a vehicle at the cemetery and three other juveniles arrived in a second vehicle. The second vehicle stayed at the entrance while the first vehicle traveled up the drive into the cemetery, the affidavit states.
At 4:57 p.m, Victims 1, 2 and 3 observed who they believed to be GHOST5K30S (Watts) in possession of a black handgun. Watts allegedly pointed the firearm at the first vehicle. In fear of Watts discharging the firearm at them, the teens left the scene and returned to the first juvenile's residence, the affidavit states.
Between 4:57 and 6 p.m., Watts and the first juvenile exchanged Snapchat messages. In the chat, they discussed the firearm that was pointed at the first vehicle. Watts told the juvenile that it was an airsoft gun; the youth believed him and decided to return to the cemetery and attempt to fight Watts a second time, the affidavit states.
Victims 1, 2, 3 and 4 traveled to the cemetery in the first vehicle while Victim 5 and 6 traveled there in a second vehicle.
When they arrived, they observed who they believed to be Watts on a smaller dark green and black all-terrain vehicle and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black ski-mask, black pants and black shoes.
The ATV appeared to be a utility vehicle with racks and not a sport version. Watts was further described as short with a round build and short with a thin build, the affidavit states. The victims also related that based on his voice on Snapchat, it sounded like he was between 15 and 18 years of age, the affidavit states.
Watts allegedly waved at the two vehicles to follow him into the cemetery. The vehicles proceeded forward into the cemetery, but the drivers lost sight of him on the ATV. The vehicles circled the cemetery before deciding to park at the first intersection of the place, the affidavit states.
When Watts approached the vehicles, he allegedly pulled a black handgun from his waistband area and discharged five .22 caliber rounds, the affidavit states. He fired the gun at all six victims.
One round directly struck a vehicle's front passenger side fender. Additionally, that vehicle's front bumper appeared to be struck by a ricochet. Watts drove east away from the vehicles. However, as the vehicles proceeded to leave the cemetery and when they reached the entrance/exit, they saw Watts on his ATV approaching their rear. Both vehicles made a westbound turn onto Lycoming Mall Drive, as they were in fear that Watts was going to discharge his firearm at them again. The victims observed the man traveling north across Lycoming Mall Drive onto Hales Lyon Road, the affidavit states.
On Aug. 8, troopers processed the scene and recovered five .22 caliber casings in the area of the first intersection at the cemetery, the affidavit states.
On Aug. 9, at 10 a.m. Cpl. Tyler Morse was assisting with an area canvass around the cemetery and Hales Lyon Road. Morse spoke with a woman who stated that she was home at 6 p.m. on Aug. 7. The woman said she did not hear any gunshots but did see a black ATV traveling south on Hales Lyon Road in the afternoon.
About 30 minutes after first seeing the ATV, the same ATV was traveling north on Hales Lyon Road, the witness said.
The woman described the operator as young and thin. The operator also was seen wearing a hooded sweatshirt. During the area canvass, Cpl. Nicholas Loffredo observed vegetation that had been recently knocked down by an ATV, the affidavit states.
On the eastern side of Hales Lyon Road, Loffredo followed ATV tracks to a well-established ATV trail within a wooded area to the east of Hales Lyon Road.
Loffredo then walked the ATV trail, which looped around through the woods and ultimately brought him to the edge of the wood line, and to the rear of 153 Confair Parkway, the affidavit states.
The yard to the rear of the residence was fenced and there were what appeared to be ATV tracks in the grass within the fence line.
Morse spoke to two residents, including Watts, asking specifically about firearms. The other resident said there were only hunting rifles and denied having any handguns, the affidavit said.
Watts retrieved his cellphone from his bedroom and Morse asked to see his Snapchat username. Watts showed Morse his Snapchat username quickly. Morse asked if he could photograph the Snapchat username but Watts refused to allow him.
Morse asked if there was anyone else at the residence on Sunday, and Watts said there was not.
On Aug. 10, troopers confirmed with National Range and Armory that Watts had recently visited and rented an AR-15 rifle, 9mm handgun and a .22 caliber handgun.
That day, Seibert obtained a search warrant for Snapchat account records associated with GHOST5K30S, MANDON270, and accounts used by two of the juveniles.
On Aug. 11, troopers obtained and executed a search warrant on Watts' residence where they seized a black ski-mask located in Watts' top dresser drawer, and saw Watts had all black Nike shoes and all black Carhartt gloves in the bedroom.
Troopers further seized two identical ATVs that matched the description of what Watts was operating at the time of the incident.
These ATVs were described as dark green in color, same make as seen before, and both with racks on the front and rear of the vehicle.
On Aug. 17, Siebert received the results back from the Snapchat search warrant with GHOST5K30S identified as MANDON and several photographs of himself to other Snapchat account users, the affidavit states. The device was used to log into and out of both accounts with the same identification.
Watts was arraigned Thursday before Whiteman on charges of attempted homicide; aggravated assault, with attempts to cause serious bodily injury with extreme indifference; simple assault; reckless endangerment; propelling missile into occupied vehicles; criminal mischief, property damage; firearms not to be carried without a license and possessing an instrument of crime; possession of a weapon; and criminal use of a cellphone.