UPDATED: Reports of Shooting near Presbyterian Church in Coudersport
2 min read
UPDATE: Click here for an updated article.
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UPDATE: State Police in Coudersport have verified they have a 52-year-old male shooter in custody.
Greg Eldred, an elementary music teacher at Coudersport School, allegedly entered a side door to the church and fired two shots at his ex-wife, Darlene Sitler, killing her instantly. Sitler was a long time music teacher at Northern Potter School.
Police said no other individuals were hurt in the shooting.
Members of the congregation were able to subdue Eldred and held him until police arrived.
Witnesses tell CoudyNews the shooter was pacing in front of the church doors for some time before he entered.
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UPDATE: Police so far have released no information, and it is our understanding they wish to suppress any information until they have completed an investigation. So, we are not going to release most of the information we have obtained.
What we can report is this: several witnesses at the scene say a local elementary teacher shot his wife in the church. The suspect then allegedly held the people in the church hostage until a police officer was able to sneak in and subdue him.
Police took all the witnesses from the church in a school bus to an undisclosed location.
Again, this is some of the witness reports we have received, and is unconfirmed. We will update this article once officials have released further information.
PLEASE DO NOT POST IDENTIFYING INFORMATION IN THE COMMENTS.
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We have received unconfirmed reports of a shooting near the First United Presbyterian Church in Coudersport.
CoudyNews will update this article once the information has been verified by officials.
How tragic and sad…..prayers for all concerned.
So sad.wish people would get help if they think they could hurt some one.God bless all of the family.
Wow responsible news reporting sure don’t get that from Fox etc.. commendable!!
absolutely responsible unlike nbc,cbs etc.
Prayer for every one that had to witness this or be involved in any way!!
Blackforest broadcasting has released names.
She was my music teacher in Northern Potter Children’s School, just read this and almost puked. WHY? Prayers for the family.
This is such a tragic, scary, devastating things to hear. I will pray for this family and this congregation for a peace that passes all understanding.
Absolutely scary and sad. Arent even safe under the lord’s roof.
I was a visitor to that church several times back in the early 90’s. Very nice people. So sad, divorce brings out the worst in people.
If you rob someone of their life, sometimes they don’t just take it. Really wish everyone lived by the golden rule, then things like this don’t happen! Very sad for all, including the students that are in those classes.
Yet another senseless and very sad event. Prayers for all who witnessed this and for the family!
Scary that he taught elementary school…we need to do a better job with the mentally disturbed, too many people are left behind until a tragedy takes place!!!
Im sorry but I was a student under Mr. Eldred and my son is now. He may have had some demons noone knew about but he was great with children. There may be more to this story that has yet to come out.
Mr Eldred was a terrific teacher. My heart breaks for everyone involved. Unbelievable.
If you’re reading this you’ve scrolled too far.
Thank goodness we fight so hard for gun rights! Thank you Republicans! A church shooting here and there is a small price to pay for our owning guns! All hail FoxNews and the prophets!
You show ignorance beyond compare. THis has nothing to do about gun rights. If it isnt a gun, it wil be another weapon. People kill people. And people like you are all about excuses. If you are a “typical” Couderportian, then I feel bad for the area. But growing up there, I know you arent even close
What would drive a person to commit an act like that….? We have no idea what was going on in their private lives. What would drive an average, normal elementary school music teacher to commit such a horrible act??? I mean no disrespect to the deceased or her family, but I have to wonder if she did something to push him over the edge..(?) While I am in NO way condoning what he did, none of us really KNOWS what we’re capable of until we’re pushed…and pushed…and pushed….KWIM?
You are one ignorant *******EDITED********. It doesn’t matter how far you are pushed as a human being you know murder is wrong. Murdering someone in the house of the lord and innocent children is not the solution. Quit blaming the victim.
*in front of innocent church children.
I can’t type tonight. I mean in front of innocent children in church.
Please keep your comments clean and reserved for leaving condolences.
~CoudyNews Staff
I apologize for my above comment that was edited however I was just really angry/upset by the comment I responded to. The comment above by blue_eyed_girl should be removed as it is very offensive to the victim, the victims family, and anyone else who reads it. Please take it down. They are blaming the victim and I’m sorry it is not the time to be doing that. People need to learn respect!
prayers going out to everyone in coudersport pa
I graduated from CHS in 2007 and am so shocked to hear that this happened at home. Mr. Eldred taught me how to play my first instrument, and I remember him as being so patient and kind–I never would have expected him to do something so terrible. I met Ms. Sitler several times too, and she was was a lovely woman. This is so heartbreaking. My prayers to go everyone involved and to the community of Coudersport.
To those who are implicitly blaming the victim, please stop now. Do not be the snipe who comes and fans the flames when they see a house burning. There is no logical or justifiable reason for the victim to have been executed with premeditation and with such callous disregard for the scores of worshippers gathered in fellowship. “How dare you you say to your brother ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye’, when all the time there is a plank in your own.”
And rightwingers and leftwingers, please don’t morph this tragic event into a spin session or a platform rant.
Try compassion, love, unity……
Prayers go out to both families involved in this terrible tragedy. I for one would like to see more counseling readily available in the area, counseling where you can pick up the phone and not have to jump through tons of red tape or wait for an appointment if you just need to talk some things through. We all hit very low points in our lives for so many reasons and no one can really know what a person will do..any person..when they are feeling hopeless or backed against a wall. A kind and sensible ear could go very very far.
My heart goes out to everyone affected by this tragedy. I’m surprised, however, that in Potter county no one there was carrying a gun, regardless of being in church. Someone may have at least been able to prevent Eldred from entering a second time….