Stalker Kills Woman On Date, While Samaritan Engages Suspect
Hummels Wharf, PA — A man named Christopher Fernanders stalked a woman named Heather Sue Campbell and even wrote a letter that he addressed to police about how he was going to kill her before actually carrying out his plan.
The woman and a man she was on a date with at a Buffalo Wild Wings, named Matthew Bowersox, were finishing up their night and gave each other a hug according to eyewitness reports. Shortly after that time, the alleged murderer drove up in his pickup truck, exited it with a handgun, and started to shoot at the couple.
There were two people in the parking lot when shooting erupted who were able to detail the event. One person said she saw Fernanders shoot several times at Campbell, who was screaming, while the other witness saw Bowersox run to the restaurant with the suspect following. They heard three or four more shots.
At some point after Fernanders shot Bowersox and while he made his way back to his truck, Troy Sprenkle of Sunbury left the restaurant and shot Fernanders three or four times leaving him in critical condition.
The story gets more complicated the further we dig.
The days leading up to the actual shooting, Campbell filed a protection order against Fernanders after he threatened her life. He was subsequently charged with terroristic threats and harassment, and was due to go before a district judge at some point this week.
According to the Snyder County DA, Michael Piecuch, the protection order should have kept Fernanders from obtaining the firearm he killed the couple with but bad people will always go around the law to commit their crimes. The source article stated that there was “equipment used to make a firearm at his home.” While it’s unclear what that means, it could have been an 80%.
The letter he left to police detailed the entire murder plan, showing premeditation. Taking the stalker thing to the next level, he put a tracking device on the undercarriage of Campbell’s car to know her movements. The car parked at the Buffalo Wild Wings is the one that had the tracking device.
Fernanders now faces some serious charges, including two counts of first-degree murder, stalking, firearms violations, violation of a protection order, and others. At last report he remained in serious condition at the hospital from the injuries he sustained from the good Samaritan who shot him.
It’s also important to note that there is no mention in any of the source articles I used to document this one about whether or not the good Samaritan would be facing any charges or not for shooting the alleged murderer [potentially] in the back as he walked back to his truck once he was done.
(I say potentially like that because we don’t know where he was shot)
Also noteworthy is the fact that Buffalo Wild Wings does not “allow” firearms within their walls, but “no gun” signs on private establishments in PA do not carry the weight of law, at least to my knowledge from when I lived there more than two years ago. Always check the local laws.
Once the alleged murderer is released from the hospital he is set to be arraigned and sent to jail without bail.
That’s why I don’t patronize bww
It’s a tough choice when a murder has already taken place you are there and armed what do you do, get his license plate and wait for police, not shoot but try to detain the killer or blow his brains out ? I would go for blowing his brains and internal organs all over the parking lot because i feel this crazed criminal could potentially kill more people before police or armed citizens can stop him so in order to save lives i would shoot and kill him.
The man gave the cops a plan and they can’t do ANYTHING? Just too bad that Sprenkle couldn’t have been in the fight sooner or that Campell or Bowersox weren’t carrying a gun themselves. Tragic all around.
I see signs all over about no guns allowed but bad people do not take the sign seriously. Also nobody checks. So we are left with no protection
My daughter was stalked by her ex…she is federal employee, and knows many FBI and works in liason with local posice. The word she got when ahe took out a restraining order on her ex, was that it was called ” a piece of paper with bullet holes in it” in the grim cop humor of friends in lawe enforcement. Sorry to hear the story you presented here but a restraining order often serves to enrage the perpetrator, and goad them to action.
And your point🤔
Once again, goes to show that all the gun regulations current and future would not have prevented this obsessed maniac from obtaining a weapon and that officers, as well intended as they may be, will only get there after the fact. If they were aware of the letter ahead of time why didn’t they apprehend him sooner? If not, the only way to have a remote chance is by the victims to be carrying or a law abiding carrier to apprehend.
Many counselors are now recommending that the victim NO file for a piece of paper called a protection order – because it only makes the abuser more angry. It does essentially nothing to protect the victim from the abuser. Since laws are now more for the law-breaker than the victim.
The only reason to file for a protection order is to aid in protection from the corrupted justice system – in case you must defend yourself from the abuser. At that point, the piece of paper can be a helpful defense against the corrupted justice system when it attacks you in court for protecting yourself.
The police try their best but the system now restricts them greatly. And the modern anti-police movements want to stop the police from possibly hindering or hurting the violent criminals.
This may sound bitter, but it is from both experience and observation. We live in very sad times. Pray for our nation.
I think everybody should self carry,laws mean nothing to idiots.If everybody is shooting back people would think twice about what they do.
The MORON deserved to get shot, if somebody wants to end an INNOCENT life & somebody is there to stop it, there should be NO charges. We also have to protect people that CAN’T protect themselves. He should be miserable in prison for the rest of his pathetic life. No love lost here. I would have shot the a##wipe also !!!!!!!!
File RO.
He breaks in.
Bam Bam Bam.
End of problem and RO.
$2-3 of ammo.
Get a threat – get a carry permit and training. Stay away from ‘victim-only’ zones. There are a number of establishments that I do not go just because of the “Victim-only” signs…
All this leads to the proverb: “Happy is the one who carries their restraining order in their concealed holster.“