Report of Armed Suicidal Man Closes Ferry Street, Disrupts Summer Nights Program

By Christina Georgiou



Numerous police vehicles and officers were called to the scene of a house
on the 1200 block of Ferry Street Thursday evening for a report of an
armed man who reportedly threatened to harm himself.

Reports of an armed man "tearing up" his house and fears that he was planning to commit suicide disrupted the city's Summer Nights program and had the entire 1200 block of Ferry Street shut down for nearly two hours this evening.

Police say they received a report shortly after 6 p.m. of a man at his residence on Ferry Street just west of Cherry Street armed with multiple firearms who threatened to harm himself. Numerous police officers, along with a car from the Northampton County Sheriff's office, an Easton EMS ambulance, and a few members of the Easton Fire Department were also called to the scene.

The man's wife exited the house safely but was worried he planned to commit suicide, authorities said.

Police said they attempted to communicate with the unidentified man, but were initially unsuccessful. Just as they called special response officers and were seen being about to deploy a robot with a camera, the man, barefoot and shirtless, peacefully surrendered.


The unidentified man surrended and was transported by
ambulance to a local hospital, as worried-looking family
members watch.

EPD officers quickly took him into custody, and, handcuffed, the man was put into a waiting ambulance.

"While we were setting up negotiations, he surrendered peacefully," EPD Captain Scott Casterline said, adding that the man did not appear to be intoxicated.

The man was transported to a local hospital for evaluation, Casterline said.

"At this point, he is not facing any criminal charges," Casterline said. He added that the unidentified resident does not appear to have a criminal record and the EPD has not had prior dealings with him nor have they been called to the address for anything similar before.

"He just had a bad day, I guess," Casterline said.

Police found firearms in the house, but they were all legally owned, police said. The exact number of weapons was not immediately available, but Casterline estimated there were between two and six involved in Thursday evening's incident.

Several neighboring residents were forced to wait behind police lines to reenter their homes during the incident. Those that were home at the time of the event were not evacuated. A number of Summer Nights program participants were delayed from leaving the scene until the conclusion because their cars were parked behind police barricade lines.

Casterline credited the neighborhood with making authorities' jobs easier, especially in the heat. Summer Nights program participants quickly cleared Centennial Park when police ordered them away for their safety, and the immediate neighbors of the man who was the center of the incident were helpful, he said.

"There was a high level of cooperation from the neighbors," he said.

And, at least some neighbors were grateful for the EPD's professionalism in handling the situation.

"I'm glad everything turned out good. I thought there was going to be a worse outcome," said Henry Rivera, who lives about a block away and said he's been a friend of the unidentified man for about eight years . "I'm glad it turned out peacefully."

He added, "A lot of people talk about the Easton Police Department, but I think they did a great job. They treated him gently. They even gave him a cigarette."

Ferry Street was reopened to traffic at about 8 p.m., and residents that had been prevented from accessing their homes were also let back in.

No one was physically injured during the event.

Centennial Park is 100 Years Old Today

According to a tidbit on Lehigh Valley Live, Centennial Park at 12th and Ferry streets was officially opened as a public playground 100 years ago today. An excerpt about the event, presumably from The Easton Express:

"There were 200 children and a large number of people present this morning at the opening of the public playgrounds at Twelfth and Northampton streets. Mrs. Carrie Hall, supervisor, called the youngsters together and gave a short talk on the object of the grounds and what was expected from the children. Mrs. Hull explained that fair play was the first essential which must be considered by them. All the children must learn to take their turn, and there must be no swearing or smoking on the grounds. Any child who commits an offense of a serious nature three times will be barred from the playgrounds for the rest of the season."

We're not quite sure how much room there was to play that first day, with "200 children and a large number of people" crowded into that space, but it's definitely interesting to note that the issues of swearing and smoking among local youth, especially in the city's parks, are nothing new.

Centennial School once stood where Centennial Park is
today. (Photo courtesy of Len Buscemi.)

We also note, there's no description of what play equipment or game areas were provided then, though we're assuming it probably didn't have a basketball court. It would be interesting to know if it was just an open grassy area or provided popular play equipment of the time, such as a merry-go-round, swings,  a see-saw or any other classic but now-deemed-too-dangerous-for-kids amusements.

Does anyone know, or better yet, have an old photo? We'd love to hear from you in the comments, or email us.

Easton Teen Event Aims to Inspire Hope, Provide Alternatives

By Christina Georgiou

Mario Figueroa knows what it's like for young people who have few resources.

Growing up on the streets in New York City, he says he got into plenty of trouble and having nothing better to do, he got involved in the violent subculture of the illegal drug trade, which led to a two-year stint in a New York prison on weapons charges.

But in the four years since he's come to Easton, he said, he's turned his life around. Inspired by a sermon at the city's Southside Greater Shiloh Church to "take the message of God to the streets," he's been doing just that.

Figueroa spends some time every day, he said, talking with teens he finds just hanging around with nothing better to do.

"I was raised by the streets myself," he said. "It was my home, you know? I want to give something back."

He was so inspired by the sermon, he recently approached Easton Mayor Sal Panto to ask him to back an event aimed at the city's teens that would have a positive influence on their lives.


Accompanied by his "chief advisor", Darren Brown of Wilson
Borough (right), Mario Figueroa (center), of Easton shakes the
hand of city Mayor Sal Panto last Wednesday evening after
announcing his plan to city council to hold an event for
troubled teens in Centennial Park on July 14.

"So he says to me, 'How much money do you need?'" Figueroa said. "And I said, 'Sir, you could give me all the money in the world, and it wouldn't matter. What I need is a date, a place where I can hold this event.'"

Figueroa's request was granted, and, assisted by his friend and "chief advisor" Darren Brown of Wilson Borough, he will be hosting that event in Centennial Park for youth ages 14 to 21 on Saturday, July 14, beginning at 2 p.m. 

The day is planned to include music, a dance competition, a basketball tournament, a Scrabble tournament, chess and checkers, and other games. Prizes, including gift cards donated by local businesses, along with refreshments, are hoped to entice troubled local youth to see there are alternatives to violence and drugs.

And, it's not just a one-time thing, Figueroa says.

"The day after my event is accomplished, I'm back out of the street, talking with troubled youth," he said, adding that he hopes to have similar get-togethers on a monthly basis.

For more information, or to donate resources to the day or future events, call Mario Figueroa at 347-241-4343.