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First Posted: 4/25/2013

WILKES-BARRE — One man was killed and another taken into police custody after a shooting on Reno Lane Thursday night.

Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis provided a statement just prior to press time Thursday night, confirming the shooting death and stating that a man whom police believe is the shooter is in custody.

Salavantis said there were “a lot of people on the street and a lot of eyewitnesses.” Police believe it was an isolated incident, she said.

“We believe it stems from an argument,” said Salavantis. “I want the public to know this is not a random act.”

She would not confirm the identity of the victim Thursday night because she wanted to make sure his entire family had been notified. She said an autopsy was scheduled for 9:30 this morning.

Salavantis also declined to release the name of the suspect, whom she said was still being interviewed by police. No charges had been filed as of Thursday night, she said.

The shooting occurred just before 7:30 p.m. in the area of 77 Reno Lane, according to police and a Luzerne County 911 supervisor.

Police were observed patting down a man in handcuffs near the scene at about 7:55 p.m. That man was escorted into a police car and driven away, still handcuffed, minutes later.

Wilkes-Barre Police Lt. Steven Olshefski said at about 8:45 p.m. that police had recovered a gun at the scene and were still interviewing eyewitnesses. He also said someone was taken from the area of the shooting scene to a hospital, but it’s unclear if that person’s injury was related to the shooting.

Olshefski confirmed that there was an altercation brewing in the area of Coal and Empire streets, which is one block east of the intersection of Reno Lane and Coal Street, sometime prior to the shooting.

Police dispersed those who were involved in and watching the altercation, and police were investigating whether the altercation and the shooting, which occurred several hundred feet south of Coal Street, were related, he said.

Salavantis said that she could not comment on a possible connection.

A woman who said she was the victim’s wife arrived at the scene about one hour after the shooting. Police would not let her enter the crime scene area, but they answered her questions as best they could. She was too distraught to speak to the news media.