A Quiet Community Shocked by Unthinkable Violence
Thompson Township, a serene rural corner of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, was shaken to its core by a day of chaos and pain. On the morning of August 7, 2025, tragedy struck when Carmine Faino, age 61, fatally shot his neighbor, Lori Wasko, 57, outside her home. The act ignited an unprecedented wave of violence that would leave multiple lives wounded and a community reeling
This tranquil town, nestled 163 miles north of Philadelphia, had never encountered such terror. One local resident shared the sentiment of many, saying, “This is a very very quiet town. There has never been anything comparable.
Ambush in the Woods: A Day of Fear and Heroism
The disturbance drew in Pennsylvania State Troopers, who responded to a welfare check—and were met with gunfire. Faino ambushed Troopers Joseph Perechinsky and William Jenkins, firing dozens of rounds from a semiautomatic. A drone sent to assess the situation was shot down, and an EMT’s vehicle was riddled with bullets, crashing into embankments as the driver escaped injury
Despite being shot twice in the chest, Trooper Perechinsky exemplified extraordinary valor. He applied multiple tourniquets to his injured fellow officer and commandeered a passing tractor-trailer to block the road, shielding other responders from harm Provincial Governor Josh Shapiro lauded him as a hero, stating, “He saved lives, acted decisively, thoughtfully… the best of the Pennsylvania State Police.
The Final Stand and Lingering Questions
Faino, armed with a rifle and perched near a propane tank—raising fears of an improvised explosive—continued to pose a lethal threat. Negotiations with law enforcement failed. In a tense standoff, he was ultimately shot and killed by the Special Emergency Response Team
Pennsylvania officials have not identified a motive. The coroner conducted an autopsy, though results remain pending. Investigators are examining Faino’s background as well as the chain of events leading to the violence
Aftermath: A Town Trying to Heal
Wounds run deep in rural Thompson Township. As Troopers Perechinsky and Jenkins recover from their injuries—each in stable yet serious condition—the community grapples with the unsettling weight of that day
In the wake of trauma, the actions of one resilient trooper offer a beacon of hope—a reminder of courage amid chaos. Thompson, bonded by grief, also finds unity in the strength and bravery displayed, vowing that the memory of what happened will not fade.
Though lives have been lost and innocence fractured, amid the fear remains a profound respect for responders who acted with unshakeable courage—and a shared hope for peace restored.
