In the serene, rolling hills of Susquehanna County, the small community of Thompson, Pennsylvania, was thrust into chaos on the morning of August 7, 2025. What began as a routine welfare check along the quiet stretch of Route 171 spiraled into a harrowing tragedy that left a neighbor dead, two state troopers wounded, and an EMT injured. The echoes of gunfire and the bravery of first responders have left an indelible mark on this tight-knit town, where such violence is as rare as it is shocking.
The day started with a chilling 911 call from Lori Wasko’s boyfriend, reporting shots fired near their home at 20141 Route 171. Wasko, a 57-year-old woman known in the community as kind-hearted and hardworking, was found lifeless outside her vehicle, gunned down in front of her home. The shooter, identified as 61-year-old Carmine Faino, a neighbor living just several hundred yards away at 20034 Route 171, would soon turn his rage on responding authorities, transforming a peaceful morning into a deadly standoff.
Pennsylvania State Troopers Joseph Perechinsky and William Jenkins III arrived at the scene around 11:17 a.m., dispatched to check on the welfare of an individual amid reports of gunfire. As they stepped out of their patrol vehicle, they were met with a barrage of rifle fire from Faino, who authorities say had taken a position of tactical advantage. The attack was swift and merciless—an ambush that left both troopers gravely wounded. Perechinsky was struck twice in the torso, Jenkins twice in the arms. Their patrol vehicles, riddled with bullet holes, stood as stark evidence of the onslaught.
Despite the searing pain of his injuries, Trooper Perechinsky’s quick thinking saved lives. Bleeding from his wounds, he applied tourniquets to Jenkins’ arms to stem the bleeding and, in a remarkable act of heroism, commandeered a passing tractor-trailer, ordering the driver to block Route 171 to protect civilians from driving into the line of fire. “He was still thinking, after being shot twice in the chest, about how to secure the location and make sure nobody else got hurt,” said Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Col. Christopher Paris, his voice heavy with admiration during a press conference in Gibson that evening.
As the situation escalated, chaos touched another responder. Carl Lawson, an EMT from Barnes-Kasson Hospital, was racing to the scene in a quick-response vehicle when gunfire struck his SUV. Forced to take evasive action, Lawson’s vehicle veered off the road and crashed, leaving him injured but stable. Like the troopers, he was airlifted to a nearby hospital, where he continues to recover.
Faino, armed with a semi-automatic long gun, fired dozens of rounds during the standoff, even shooting down a police drone deployed to monitor his movements. At one point, he was seen sitting atop a propane tank, raising fears among authorities that he might detonate it as an improvised explosive device. For hours, state police and the Special Emergency Response Team attempted to negotiate with Faino, urging him to surrender. But the 61-year-old remained defiant, continuing to pose an imminent threat. Ultimately, members of the response team made the fateful decision to use lethal force, ending Faino’s rampage with his death.
The aftermath has left Thompson, a community where such violence is unimaginable, grappling with grief and disbelief. “This is a very, very quiet town. There has never been anything comparable,” said resident Erika Mills, who lives less than a mile from the scene. Devlan Ace, a local witness, shared his sorrow: “The girl who was shot, she used to bartend. She was a good person, worked with my mom. It’s a sad and unfortunate situation.” Memorials for Lori Wasko have begun to appear, with flowers and messages of condolence piling up as the community mourns a woman described as a beloved neighbor and friend.
The investigation into the tragedy is ongoing, with the Susquehanna County District Attorney’s Office and the Pennsylvania State Police Area 3 Major Case Team working together to unravel the motive behind Faino’s actions. Commissioner Paris noted that Faino’s behavior suggested a calculated intent rather than a spur-of-the-moment act, though specifics remain elusive. A close acquaintance of Wasko, Nikki Creps, told local media that Faino was a troubled individual with a history of concerning behavior, including an alleged home invasion weeks earlier that she believed should have led to his incarceration. These claims, however, remain unverified as investigators piece together the events.
Trooper William Jenkins was released from the hospital on Saturday, August 9, his recovery a small beacon of hope amid the tragedy. Trooper Joseph Perechinsky remains at Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton, where he is in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery. Both troopers have been hailed as heroes, with Governor Josh Shapiro praising Perechinsky’s decisive actions: “He exemplifies the absolute best of the Pennsylvania State Police.”
The troopers who fired on Faino have been placed on administrative duty, per standard protocol, as the investigation into the use of lethal force continues. Susquehanna County District Attorney Marion O’Malley has vowed a thorough and impartial inquiry, noting that the process may take time, particularly if forensic evidence requires lab analysis. Under Pennsylvania law, deadly force is justified when officers face an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury, a standard that will guide the review of this fatal encounter.
As Thompson begins to heal, the incident stands as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by law enforcement and first responders. The bravery of Troopers Perechinsky and Jenkins, alongside the resilience of EMT Carl Lawson, has resonated across the state, with messages of support pouring in from far and wide. Yet, for this small community 163 miles north of Philadelphia, the scars of August 7, 2025, will linger, a testament to a day when peace was shattered by gunfire and a quiet town was forever changed.
