Two teenagers, a 15-year-old boy and 14-year-old girl, were flown to different hospitals this evening (Tuesday, November 25, 2014) after being shot in the woods behind the South Ward section of Tamaqua.
Emergency personnel were dispatched shortly after 5 PM to an area on the mountain (also known as South Mountain) located south of the Green Street/Anthracite Avenue intersection.
Two helicopters were used to transport each to the hospital. One landed at the parking lot of the Tamaqua Middle School. The other landed on the Tamaqua football field. The male was airlifted to St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem, and the female to Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown.
Officials on scene said that the alleged shooter, Anthony Pascoe of Tamaqua, is talking with police.
An online Times News story said that Pascoe told police he had finished hunting for the day and decided to discharge the remaining bullet into the woods. He said it hit the teens who were unseen in the woods and he heard them scream and called police. The story adds that the teens were shot from a .270 caliber pump action rifle.
As of 7:15 PM, police were still on scene.
Responding were Tamaqua Police, Rush Township Police, West Penn Township Police, State Police, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Tamaqua Ambulances, Lehighton Ambulances, South Ward Fire Company and others. Tamaqua Fire Police limited traffic around the incident area and both landing zones.
Unofficial, but reliable, information states that the girl was shot in the leg area and the boy was shot in the side of his stomach. The two remain in critical condition as of this evening.
Tamaqua Police officers Corporal Henry Woods and Thomas Rodgers are the investigating officers.
The incident is expected to be turned over to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
Click HERE to view the Times News story.
Click HERE to view the Morning Call story (credited TamaquaArea.com photos/video).
Click HERE to view the WNEP TV story (credited TamaquaArea.com photos/video).
Click HERE to view the WBRE/WYOU TV story (credited TamaquaArea.com photos/video).
TamaquaArea.com photos:
TamaquaArea.com 
considering that hunters are told NEVER to randomly discharge a weapon into the woods I would say that hunter is in some trouble. that was one of the very FIRST rules my dad taught me about hunting. NEVER FIRE THE GUN UNTIL YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY SURE OF WHAT IT WILL HIT. It is just as easy to eject the round without firing it. No excuse for this carelessness.
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This is truly a shame. I highly doubt that he just decided to shoot the gun not knowing that he hit two different people. Its a shame as to what Tamaqua is coming to now a days. I really hope this guy goes to jail. Of course our system will probably fail us all again and he will get a slap on his hands. As Marie said, the first thing you are taught is NEVER randomly discharge a weapon no matter where it is. Plus, what are the chances of them randomly discharging the weapon and it hitting both the girl and the boy?
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I don’t believe the official story as to what happened. I think drugs were involved and its being covered up.
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No one knows except the investigators and the shooter. No sense on speculating til it plays out. Problem is that hunting/deer season does not start until this coming Monday as far as I know. What was he doing in the woods with a .270? I have a .270 and it ain’t no squirrel shooter. It was bear season though.
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