Upper Nazareth Man Charged in Shooting Near Park

The  man who , threatening to commit suicide, has been released from the hospital and faced a judge on May 18 -- a week after the incident.

Prabhjit Singh, 25, of 2823 Lehigh Lane was arraigned before and charged with three felony counts of discharging a firearm, two counts of making terroristic threats, and one count each of recklessly endangering another person and disorderly conduct, according to court records.

Singh was released from Northampton County Prison the same day as his arraignment after posting 10 percent of $75,000 bail.

Michael Vargo, Singh's attorney, told Capobianco that his client suffers from a mental illness, but he did not elaborate, according to a report in The Express-Times.

Police were called to Singh's home shortly before 7 p.m. on May 11 for reports of a man firing shots outside his home, which is near .

An off-duty officer made the 911 call. He asked Singh several times to put the gun down, according to court records, but Singh simply stated, “20 minutes.”

According to police, Singh discharged a Mossberg Maverick 12-Gauge Pump shotgun once into the floor of his bedroom and twice into the ceiling of the garage attached to the house. He also allegedly fired shots into the air -- numerous times -- outside the house.

Officer Scott Greb, along with responding officers from other departments, evacuated seven nearby homes and Tuskes Park, which was filled with parents and children who were participating in sporting events. Bath Pike (Route 248) was closed.

Around 7:55 p.m., the man emerged from the house's garage, apparently unarmed, and began picking up objects off the ground before returning to the residence, scanner chatter indicated.

He then came back outside while talking on his cellphone after being instructed to do so by police via loudspeaker. Reports indicated upon his second emergence from his dwelling that he was in contact with 911 dispatchers when he was further instructed to lie face down on the ground. 

Authorities had called for a county negotiator and assistance from Pennsylvania State Police, but neither was ultimately deployed as Singh responded to the requests of township Police Chief Alan Siegfried and surrendered just before 8 p.m. 

He was then taken into custody without further incident and transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg.

Lehigh Lane was reopened at about 8:55 p.m., when residents of the street were allowed to return to their homes.