Police: South Abington Twp. man charged after firing shots inside home

A 56-year-old man from South Abington Township, George A. Frietto Jr., is facing multiple charges after he fired shots inside his home during a standoff with police on Saturday night. The incident began around 10:15 p.m. when a woman called 911, reporting that Frietto had returned home intoxicated and was attempting to load a handgun from a lockbox.

Upon arriving at the scene on the 1100 block of Layton Road, officers encountered a tense situation when Frietto fired a shot from a bedroom in their direction. In response, police established a perimeter around the residence and attempted to contact him using both a phone and a public address system, but he did not comply with their commands.

Concerns escalated as Frietto had previously expressed thoughts of self-harm, raising fears that he might have harmed himself. Officers approached the home again, during which Frietto began yelling, indicating that he was still inside and potentially armed. Each time police made contact, Frietto discharged another round when they called in the SWAT team.

After securing a warrant for his arrest and a search warrant for the residence, police were finally able to take Frietto into custody around 3 a.m. on Sunday, ensuring that no one was injured during the standoff. He has since been charged with several offenses including the discharge of a firearm in an occupied structure, aggravated assault, and making terroristic threats.

As of Sunday afternoon, Frietto is being held in Lackawanna County Prison, though information regarding his bail or preliminary hearing has not been released. The situation highlights the dangers law enforcement faces when responding to domestic disturbances involving firearms.