The suspect in a Schuylkill County arson investigation has been charged with attempted murder following a standoff in New Jersey during his arrest.
Bergen County, NJ, Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 36-year-old Tyre R. Dunn of York, PA, on charges including attempted murder, aggravated assault, armed burglary, and resisting arrest. Dunn was taken into custody following a standoff with law enforcement in Lodi, New Jersey, after he was found to be wanted in Pottsville, Schuylkill County, for multiple criminal offenses, including arson.
The arrest was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Lodi Police Department.
Violent Standoff in Lodi
On Monday, January 27, 2025, law enforcement officers attempted to apprehend Dunn, who fled and barricaded himself inside a shed on Stokes Street in Lodi. While inside, he armed himself with a pickaxe. Members of the Bergen County Regional SWAT Team arrived and ordered Dunn to surrender.
Instead, Dunn emerged from the shed swinging the pickaxe at law enforcement personnel, striking an FBI agent in the bulletproof vest. Fortunately, the agent was not injured as the weapon did not penetrate the protective gear. Dunn was quickly subdued and taken into custody. He was transported back to Schuylkill County Prison the following day.
Charges in New Jersey
Following an investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, Dunn was charged on Friday, January 31, 2025, with:
- Two counts of first-degree attempted murder
- First-degree armed burglary
- Two counts of second-degree aggravated assault
- Third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose
- Third-degree resisting arrest
- Fourth-degree obstruction of justice
Dunn remains in custody at the Schuylkill County Prison pending legal proceedings in Pennsylvania. His bail has been set at $500,000 straight cash.
Arson Investigation in Pottsville
According to court documents from Magisterial District Judge James Reiley's office, Dunn is charged in connection with a house fire at 678 North 2nd Street in Pottsville, on January 17, 2025. Emergency responders arrived at the scene to find the residence engulfed in flames. An investigation determined the fire was deliberately set using Molotov cocktails.
Surveillance footage and evidence gathered by the Pottsville Bureau of Police, Pennsylvania State Police, Reading City Police Bomb Squad, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) identified Dunn as the suspect. Video showed him purchasing Starbucks Frappuccino bottles at a Sheetz convenience store hours before the fire. One bottle was concealed in his clothing while he purchased the other. The bottles matched those recovered at the scene.
Authorities tracked the suspect’s vehicle, a 2023 gray Kia Forte with Washington State plates, to a rental company. The vehicle was rented by a Brooklyn, New York, resident who is reportedly married to Dunn.
Victims and Motive
The residence was occupied at the time of the fire by four individuals, including Dunn’s son, who sustained minor burns and broken bones after jumping from a second-story window to escape. A cat in the home suffered severe burns. Another resident also sustained injuries.
Investigators uncovered text messages in which Dunn accused his son and another victim of stealing money from him, which authorities believe was the motive for the attack.
Schuylkill County Charges
Dunn faces a long list of charges in Pennsylvania, including:
- Multiple counts of arson and aggravated arson
- Possession of explosive or incendiary material
- Aggravated assault and simple assault
- Recklessly endangering another person
- Terroristic threats
- Cruelty to animals
- Possession of incendiary devices
- Possession of instruments of crime with intent
- Retail theft and receiving stolen property
- Federal charges against Dunn are also pending.
Dunn also faces charges in a "shots fired" incident at the Walmart in St. Clair including:
- Simple Assault
- Harassment
- Disorderly Conduct
https://www.skooknews.com/2025/01/three-charged-for-involvement-in-shots.html