Dalton man charged with murder after shooting co-worker at Lowe's
A Dalton man who told police he shot a co-worker at Lowe's Home Improvement in Scranton early Saturday now faces first- and third-degree murder charges, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday.
Police originally charged Christopher Wasnetsky, 36, with felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon Saturday, pending an autopsy of the victim, Jeff Moeller.
The autopsy determined Moeller, 44, of Scranton, died from multiple gunshot wounds, Lackawanna County Coroner Tim Rowland said. Rowland added the manner of death was ruled homicide. The autopsy found Moeller suffered three gunshot wounds — one across the back and two directly to the head, according to a criminal complaint.
Officers responded to Lowe's at 12:36 a.m. for the report of a man having been shot in the store.. They detained Wasnetsky near the front entrance, police said.
Once inside, they found Moeller on the ground in a pool of blood, officers said. He was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds amid four bullet casings, according to a criminal complaint.
Officers transported Moeller to Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
Wasnetsky called in the shooting, stating, 'I'd like to report a shooting at the Dickson City Lowe's. I was the person that did it,' police said. The store is located partly in Scranton and Dickson City.
During a recorded interview at police headquarters, Wasnetsky told an officer Moeller, a co-worker, had been harassing him and no one would do anything about it, according to a criminal complaint. Wasnetsky also said he bought a handgun with the intent to shoot Moeller and practiced using it in his backyard. Wasnetsky told police his plan was to shoot Moeller and then shoot himself.
Additionally, Wasnetsky told police he sent an email to Lowe's management and human resources department before the shooting, stating it could have been avoided if someone stopped the harassment, according to a criminal complaint.
The Lowe's store manager informed investigators Wasnetsky filed harassment-type complaints against Moeller and each complaint was investigated and unfounded, police said.
A Lowe's corporate spokesperson called the shooting a 'senseless act of violence.'
Wasnetsky told police he approached Moeller on Saturday while he was working on a machine and shot him in the chest without warning, according to a criminal complaint. When Moeller fell to the ground and asked for help, Wasnetsky told officers he shot Moeller twice in the head and in the chest because he didn't want him to suffer.
Officers located a semiautomatic handgun, which appeared to be unloaded, on the ground near a shopping cart about 30 feet from the victim, according to a criminal complaint
There was also a live round on the ground and a magazine next to the handgun — a Springfield 9 mm, police said.
'The safety of our associates and customers is our top priority, and we are deeply saddened by this senseless act of violence,' Meagan Bernstein, senior director of external communications for Lowe's Companies Inc., said in an email. 'We're working closely with law enforcement … as it's an active investigation.'
Wasnetsky remains in Lackawanna County Prison after bail was denied. A preliminary hearing is set for June 30 at 10:30 a.m.
A GoFundMe page seeking donations for Moeller's wife, Keisha, and three daughters had raised more than $13,500 toward its $18,000 goal by 4 p.m. Monday. Attempts to reach the organizer, Christina Moeller, were not immediately successful.
Kassie Sierra of Scranton, who said she worked with Moeller at Lowe's, remembered him as a 'wonderful, kind man and great friend.'
'(He) worked hard for his wife and daughters, and he always had a smile,' she said.
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