State Police released new information on the search for the man accused of shooting and killing one Pennsylvania State trooper and wounding another two weeks ago today. Eric Frein remains on the loose. State police are focusing their search around his home in Canadensis.
Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens addressed Frein at an afternoon press conference Friday. He says, “You are a coward, your actions have caused tremendous disruption for an innocent community all while you try to hide from us. We’re not intimidated, we will not leave. We have a clear mission, we will protect the community and we will find you and bring you to justice.”
Bivens describes Friday’s morning search efforts at an abandoned hotel, the Buck Hill Inn, in Monroe County. The hotel was once listed among the country’s top ten convention centers. It’s also a place where Eric Frein used to visit. 12 SWAT teams and countless investigators searched for him at the hotel.
Police say they have evidence Frein planned his attack on the Blooming Grove Barracks for years. They say the information is supported by a search of a computer hard drive which he had access to. On that hard drive, police found searches related to evading a manhunt, law enforcement technology, and survivalist skills. Troopers also revealed they believe he’d been experimenting with explosives because of evidence they recovered. Now officials believe they’re getting closer to capturing Frein.
Bivens says, “We’ll know when we’re closing in when we actually have him. We’ve had sightings, we found items that led us to believe he’s in the area, so I believe we’re close and it’s a matter of time until we apprehend him.”
Police say he has expressed a desire to kill law enforcement officials and commit mass murder. He’s been added to the FBI’s ten most wanted list.
