Why We Carry: PA Man Shoots Neighbors Dead Over Snow Shoveling Dispute

PLAINS TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA — A man shot and killed two of his neighbors and then took his own life, and police say it was all over an ongoing dispute about shoveling show.

The victims, James Goy, 50, and his wife Lisa Goy, 48, were outside their home at 13 W. Bergh St. shoveling snow when neighbor Jeffrey Spaide, 47, of 6 W. Bergh St., came outside with a pistol and opened fire, killing them both, police said.

“Apparently there’s been an ongoing dispute between neighbors, some of which involved a dispute about snow disposal and removal,” Luzerne County First Assistant District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce said. “They’re across the street from each other, and when they would remove snow they would throw it across the street at the other person’s property.”

via citizensvoice.com

After killing them, Spaide went into his home and retrieved a rifle and shot the couple again, before finally going back into the home and taking his own life.

At face value, if you were to hear the story about two neighbors shoveling snow into each other’s driveways, you may chuckle a bit and not think much of it. I know that would be my first reaction.

Some people are at their breaking point, however, and the example here is Spaide. The neighbors probably never would have guessed that he would turn violent and end up taking their lives because of these disputes, but he was clearly a man who had crossed over into a bad mental state.

This is one of thousands of stories that happen around the country each year, luckily the majority not resulting in deaths. We need to remember that not everyone thinks the way we do, and they could take extreme measures. While most disputes are small, we should take caution if they get out of hand. Being kind and understanding are the best routes to take.