Court Docs: Gunfire sparked by fight over child’s birthday party guest
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - State Police at the scene of a police incident on West Main Street in Ringtown on June 16, 2024.
RINGTOWN – A dispute over a guest invited to a child’s birthday party turned physical and ended in gunfire, state troopers allege in court documents.
Austin Snyder, 25, of 527 West Main Street, Ringtown, is facing aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, reckless endangerment, endangering the welfare of a child, and harassment charges.
According to the criminal complaint filed by Trooper Zachary McDonald of the State Police at Frackville, Snyder shot his girlfriend’s mother, Holly Petrushonis, twice during a dispute and fight over a guest that was invited to his fiance’s three-year-old’s birthday party.
Troopers were called to Snyder’s home at 527 West Main Street just after 7pm for a report of a domestic incident involving a weapon.
When troopers arrived, Snyder was standing outside the residence, put his hands in the air when troopers approached, and said he was the shooter. He told troopers his gun was placed, unloaded, atop a Toyota Rav4.
Inside the home, Petrushonis was laying injured on the kitchen floor, being tended to by her daughter, Katy Petrushonis — Snyder’s fiance.
Snyder told troopers, without being questioned, that he and Holly were in an argument and Holly removed a knife from a knife holder and attempted to slash at him, missing. He fired a shot at her leg in self-defense, he said.
Holly was taken to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville via LifeFlight, and both Snyder and Katy were interviewed at the State Police barracks.
Katy told troopers that she was at the home with her mother and two children — a three-year-old girl and a four-month-old boy. Snyder had been in and out of the home running errands and found out while he was out that a man he did not like would be at the three-year-old girl’s upcoming birthday party.
When he returned, a verbal altercation ensued between the adults and Holly gathered the children and attempted to leave. Snyder blocked that, and they tried to leave via another route. They were blocked again, Katy told troopers. Snyder then grabbed Holly by the hair and pulled her into the kitchen and struck her multiple times, Katy said. Holly did not fight back and attempted to protect the infant she was holding.
At one point, Katy saw Holly grab a kitchen knife holder and then heard two shots. She did not know if Holly grabbed a knife or just the holder, she told troopers.
Holly told troopers a similar story at the hospital, saying she grabbed the kitchen knife block to use as a shield and two shots rang out.
Snyder told troopers that there was a verbal argument but denied striking Holly. He said she grabbed a knife and he drew his firearm in self defense and shot Holly in the leg.
Holly had two gunshot wounds in upper thigh, troopers said, and injuries to her head.
Snyder was arraigned and committed to Schuylkill County Prison, unable to post $150,000 bail.
A preliminary hearing is set for July 3.
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