According to Ashland Patrolman Richard Haraschak, around 12:45am, on the morning of Sunday, December 13th, 2020, he received a dispatch for shots fired inside a home at 539 Walnut Street. The caller reported to the dispatcher that his brother was under the influence of drugs and had fired two shots from a pistol while in the attic. While the dispatcher was on the phone, an additional shot could be heard going off.
The caller and his mother, as well as the neighbors next door at 537 Walnut Street fled their home for their safety.
When Officer Haraschak arrived on scene, he was met by the caller who stated that his brother, Damien Zimnicki was high on drugs and firing rounds at random things inside the residence.
While Officer Haraschak was in front of the home, Zimnicki moved from the attic to the first floor, closing the front door and refused to talk to police or come out.
For over 2 hours, Zimnicki was inside the home armed and refused to cooperate with police. Officers from Butler Township, Frackville, Shenandoah, Girardville, and the Pennsylvania State Police responded to assist. A State Police SERT team was also requested.
Around 3:00am, Zimnicki came out of the home and gave himself up peacefully without incident.
A search of the home after the incident led to the finding of a black 9mm firearm on the first floor kitchen table with one round in the chamber and two rounds in the magazine.
In the attic, four 9mm casings were found as well as two bullet holes in the wall and two bullet holes in a mirror.
The bullet holes in the wall had been shot into the neighboring property at 537 Walnut Street.
On Monday, Zimnicki was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker and charged with five counts recklessly endangering another person, five counts of simple assault, five counts of aggravated assault, four counts of discharging a firearm into an occupied structure, and one count of persons not to possess a firearm.
Zimnicki was remanded to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $100,000 straight cash bail.
