D.A.: Man fatally shot his father
NORRISTOWN >> A Norristown man fatally shot his father about 20 times and later wounded a 12-year-old borough boy with a semiautomatic pistol with a laser sight, allegedly because the boy “creeped” him out, according to prosecutors.
Steven Mark Quadrel, 24, of the 600 block of East Airy Street, was arraigned on Thursday before District Court Judge Gregory Scott of Norristown on charges of first- and third-degree murder, aggravated assault, possessing an instrument of crime and recklessly endangering another person in connection with the Oct. 24 shooting incidents in the borough.
Quadrel was remanded to the county jail without bail to await
his preliminary hearing at 10 a.m. Nov. 9 before District Court Judge Margaret Hunsicker of Norristown.
“The father actually lived in North Jersey and it appears that he came to Norristown to check on his son in some fashion. That appears to be what happened,” alleged Montgomery County First Assistant District Attorney Edward F. McCann Jr. “It certainly is domestic violence in that a son kills his father. So this is a really, really incredible tragedy.”
The investigation began about 3:59 p.m. Oct. 24 when Norristown police were dispatched to the 600 block of Sandy Street for a report of a man shooting a gun in the vicinity. Arriving officers found Quadrel there and he was taken into custody after a struggle with police, according to the criminal complaint filed by county Detective James Reape and Norristown Detective William Klinger.
Police recovered a Beretta 9mm semiautomatic pistol with a laser sight hidden behind a parked truck, according to authorities.
A 12-year-old boy told police that he was riding his scooter on Sandy Street with two friends when he saw a man, allegedly Quadrel, run past him and then moments later run back toward him.
“(The child) said the male pointed a gun with a red beam at his face, lowered the gun and shot at him. (The child) said he ran and later discovered he was struck across the top of his left hand,” Reape and Klinger alleged in court papers.
Authorities said the child was treated at a local hospital for a non-life-threatening wound to his hand and arm and released.
“It was a graze wound,” McCann alleged.
A Sandy Street resident told police he was inside his home when he heard gunshots and went outside and observed a man with a handgun. The resident told Quadrel to put the gun down and Quadrel allegedly dropped the gun behind a parked truck, according to the criminal complaint.
At the scene, Quadrel asked police about his father and repeatedly stated he killed his father, court papers indicate.
“Quadrel also kept asking officers to check on his father and said, ‘I think I shot him,’” Reape and Klinger alleged.
In an attempt to locate Quadrel’s father, 58-yearold Mark Quadrel, authorities went to Quadrel’s East Airy Street apartment at 10:30 p.m. and discovered a deceased Mark Quadrel, lying face-down on the floor of the apartment, according to court documents.
“The male sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Also inside the apartment was an empty pistol magazine, multiple fired shell casings and black plastic gun box,” Reape and Klinger alleged.
Detectives allegedly recovered 23 fired cartridge casings and eight projectiles inside the apartment. The victim was in possession of his wallet and cellphone, detectives added.
An autopsy determined Mark Quadrel, who lived in New Jersey, died as a result of gunshot wounds to the head and torso. The manner of death was ruled homicide.
When he was interviewed by detectives, Quadrel allegedly stated his father arrived unannounced at his residence on the afternoon of Oct. 24.
“Quadrel said he was having a conversation with his father which escalated into an argument. Quadrel then went to his truck, retrieved his 9mm Beretta pistol and returned to his apartment bedroom where he loaded the pistol,” Reape and Klinger alleged. “Quadrel then walked into the living room and began shooting his father in the back and head as he fell to the floor.
“Quadrel said he fired 2030 shots at his father and emptied ‘four or five clips,’” detectives added. “After shooting his father, Quadrel said he ran from his apartment toward Sandy Street and encountered a ‘kid’ on the street. Quadrel said the sight of the kid ‘creeped’ him out and he fired one shot at him.”
A conviction of first-degree murder, which is an intentional killing, can carry the death penalty or life imprisonment. A conviction of third-degree murder, a killing with malice, carries a possible maximum sentence of 20-to-40-years in prison.
Court documents do not indicate if Quadrel has obtained legal representation.