Despite a statewide mandate by Gov.
Tom Wolf requiring masks be worn in businesses, Adam Michael Zaborowski, 35, entered Cigars international in Bethlehem Township without a face mask on Friday.
According to a probable cause affidavit, an employee at the shop told Zaborowski that he needed to wear a mask inside the store or could have his order taken curbside.
“Zaborowski became irate, grabbed two cigars from a shelf and exited without paying,” the affidavit states.
Additionally, the affidavit also states that the store employee followed Zaborowski to the parking lot to retrieve the cigars, but he fired a gun in the air before firing two rounds at the employee. A patron was sitting behind the employee as the rounds were fired. Zaborowski then fled in a blue Dodge Dakota pick-up truck.
Zaborowski was arrested the following day after engaging in a shootout with Pennsylvania State Police and Slatington Borough Police said Bethlehem Police Department Sgt. Shaun Powell. He remains in the hospital, Powell said, but didn’t give details of any injuries.
Zaborowski has been charged with attempted criminal homicide, aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of robbery, reckless endangerment, and carrying a firearm without a license. Due to a prior offense, his arrest affidavit shows that he was also charged with persons prohibited to possess a firearm.
Attorney John J. Waldron, who is representing Zaborowski, issued a statement on his behalf saying that he has a number of stressful things going on in his life that may have contributed to his actions.
“He is facing serious charges.
He is lucky to be alive, considering his actions with law enforcement. He has had a series of events which have caused him stress and depression,” Waldron said in a CNN report. “These are not a defense or excuse. He lost his job, just lost a custody battle for his child and did not cope well with the virus.
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“People deal with stress differently, he did not deal with it appropriately. His family is very supportive. We will have him examined by a Forensic Psychologist and proceed from there,” the attorney added.