Party hostess fatally shot in the head in Newberry Twp.
ELIZABETH EVANS The York Dispatch
Updated: 06/13/2010 10:44:30 AM EDT
A Newberry Township woman hosting a party at her home was fatally shot Saturday night while trying to defend a guest being assaulted by a band member, police said.
A man at the party then tackled the shooter, who was arrested by responding officers, Newberry Township Police Chief John Snyder said.
Melissa Barnes, 28, of 555 Stevens Road, suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead at York Hospital at 4:23 a.m. Sunday, Acting York County Coroner Claude Stabley said.
Stabley said he will not officially rule on the cause of manner of Barnes' death until after an autopsy is completed Tuesday morning at Allentown's Lehigh Valley Hospital.
The alleged shooter, Paul Nelson Hansen, 29, of 351 S. Queen St. in York City, is charged with homicide, aggravated assault, making terroristic threats, reckless endangerment and four counts of simple assault. He was denied bail and will remain in York County Prison.
Newberry Township Police were called to the scene about 9:20 p.m. Saturday.
What happened: Charges were filed by Snyder, who said witnesses at the party told officers that Hansen -- who was a member of the band playing at the party -- had been fighting with party guest Holly McMichael, no age or address available.
During the altercation, Hansen grabbed McMichael by the arm and placed her in a "pain-compliance maneuver," then "informed her that he was going to snap her neck," according to Hansen's arrest affidavit.
"Melissa Barnes saw
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this and came to the girl's aid," Snyder said. "She was friends with the girl."
Barnes began pushing Hansen, who warned her, "Don't push me again," according to the chief.
That's when Hansen pulled a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber handgun from his waistband and shot Barnes in the head, Snyder said.
"He was tackled by another person at the party," Snyder said. When officers got to the home, they found Hansen standing in the street and arrested him, charging documents state.
At the police station, Hansen confessed to shooting Barnes, documents state.
When Hansen shot Barnes, there were three other party guests close by who were in danger of death or injury, police said.
It's been six years since the last homicide in Newberry Township, Snyder said.
I knew Melissa through mutual friends and this happened right down the road from me. I can not believe this coward would shoot a woman in the head for defending another woman! This man should never see the light of day.
His Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/krazynorseman
his status bothers me.. "Im ready to give up on life. Embrace the pain and say goodbye to all my sorrows" :2angry: