Manhunt Continues as Police Surround a House Searching for Shooter

According to the Associated Press, police searching for a suspect in Saturday's horrific shooting in Gilbertsville have surrounded a house in Trainer, Delaware County, mere minutes ago.

The gunman has remained at large all weekend while police searched for answers after a shooting killed two people and critically injured three others.

“We continue to investigate,” Montgomery County First Assistant District Attorney Kevin Steele told Patch via email.

Yesterday, Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman and Douglass Township Police Chief Barry L. Templin, Jr. identified the victims as Paul Shay, Monica Shay, Joseph Shay, Kathryn Erdmann and her son Gregory.

Joseph Shay, 43, of Yarmouth, MA, and New York, NY; and Gregory, 2, were shot in the head and killed. 

Kathryn Erdmann, 37, of Fall River, MA, was also shot in the head and is in critical condition. 

The Renninger Road house owners Paul Shay, 64, and Monica Shay, 58, of New York, NY, are hospitalized in critical condition.  

None of the victims could speak to investigators.

Building the search 

Roughly 40 police officers—from about 10 area departments including , Lower Pottsgrove and Boyertown—gathered Saturday night on Hoffmansville Road near the scene of the shooting.

Emergency medical crews from companies including Gilbertsville Fire and Rescue and Upper Perkiomen Valley Ambulance were also on hand.

A police helicopter circled above and lit the area around Sterner Road while lights from emergency vehicles color the handful of houses and a church in the quiet rural community.

The Boyerstown Salvation Army served sandwiches and drinks to rescue personnel who were wait for police to call for their help.

The area—which included farm pastures, dense woods, outbuildings, a creek and pond—would provide a good hiding place for someone, especially in the dark, said Dennis Meitzler, a Salvation Army volunteer.

“I used to hunt all this,” he said of growing up in the area and hunting for deer and small game.

The search helicopter gradually expanded its circle of coverage while some police cars moved to another area.

A few miles away, police gathered inside the Douglass Township building while more forces arrived in the parking lot. A Pottstown police officer prepared his K-9 unit near a parked Ches-Mont Emergency Response Team (CMERT) armored vehicle. 

Police closed the township building to the press and said information pertaining to the search must come from the district attorney’s office. 

Police, armed with a variety of weapons, piled into the vehicle and headed toward the crime scene.

A couple hours later, back at the Hoffmansville Road makeshift emergency command area, daylight blanketed the sleepy neighborhood and light rain fell while Steele fielded questions from reporters.

“We are investigating,” he said.

Editor’s note: The district attorney's office earlier today incorrectly stated the age of the child who was killed, Steele said. The child was 2 years old.