Associated Press
SCRANTON, Pa. — The suspect in a deadly ambush on two state troopers said in a text message that “all is good” less than five hours before he allegedly opened fire outside their barracks in northeastern Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, according to court documents.
Eric Frein’s longtime friend received a text from the suspect around 6:15 p.m. on Sept. 12, The Times-Tribune of Scranton reported Saturday, citing a search warrant affidavit filed in the case.
Frein is charged with ambushing the Blooming Grove barracks shortly before 11 p.m. that night. One trooper was killed and a second wounded.
Authorities have been looking for Frein — described by authorities as a survivalist with a grudge against law enforcement — in the woods around his parents’ home in Canadensis.
The manhunt entered its fourth week Saturday. Authorities said Friday they have found caches of supplies in the rugged, heavily wooded search area. Tuna fish, ramen noodles and other food was recovered along with clothing and 90 rounds of ammunition from a campsite where police previously said they found two pipe bombs, according to investigators.
Court documents said Frein’s wrote in his text message that he had stayed at the friend’s apartment in East Stroudsburg the previous night. The friend was in Virginia at the time of the shooting, the affidavit said.
Frein’s text also said he was “heading back to Delaware,” and that he would return the following week, the affidavit said. Police have said Frein lied to relatives and other people that he was working in Delaware so he could prepare for the ambush.
Police obtained a search warrant for the apartment and recovered several boxes of ammunition and 10 dirty gun-cleaning patches, according to a document listing the items seized by police.
The friend is not charged in connection with the ambush and police have said Frein acted alone.
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