David Green is accused of shooting a building code inspector named Michael Tripus at the Paradise Township municipal building in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. Authorities say Green was having problems with mold in his home and didn’t know Tripus.
The murder occurred on the morning of November 27, 2018, and Green was quickly taken into custody. Green, 72, is from Swiftwater. The victim, Michael Tripus, was 65-years-old, and he was from Stroudsburg. Green was walked to court in plastic:
He allegedly told reporters he was “sorry” about the shooting.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. The Shooting Occurred Inside the Municipal Building After Green Is Accused of Having Trouble Getting a Permit
***UPDATED NEWS RELEASE***
In a news release, authorities said troopers in Stroudsburg were dispatched to the Paradise Township Municipal Building located at 5912 Paradise Valley Road, Paradise Township, Monroe County.
The call came in as “shots fired” within the building. Upon arrival, troopers took a man in custody and located the victim deceased, according to the news release.
Authorities say the death was a homicide and identified the victim and suspect in the news release. They say they took the suspect into custody without incident and there was “NO threat to the public/surrounding areas.”
Authorities believe the motive relates to issues Green was having with mold in his new house, according to The Washington Post. However, he is accused of telling authorities that Green wasn’t involved in those areas and was professional to him when he came to the town hall.
The Post reported that a neighbor claimed that Green “was dealing with mold and a faulty septic system and was having difficulty obtaining certain township permits.” Tripus (before he died) and others at the municipal building said they had not seen Green before, The Post and AP reported.
2. Michael Tripus Was a Building Code Enforcer
The Pocono Township website lists Mike Tripus as “Zoning Enforcement Officer.” On the website for Paradise Township, he is listed as the “Sewage Enforcement Officer” and “Building Code Official.” The website describes the latter position’s duties as being “contracted by the Township to permit and inspect all aspects of the Uniform Construction Code.”
As an example of the kind of work Tripus did, a town agenda form last spring contains a discussion about a new yard sale ordinance. “Michael Tripus, Zoning Officer, presented a draft Yard Sales Ordinance to the board for discussion,” it says.
Various community members raised questions about some aspects of it, such as a limit per year and what would happen to church rummage sales and flea markets. He was involved in the town for years. A 2014 agenda discussed illegal signage in the community and says, “M. Tripus, Twp. Zoning Officer, stated it is very difficult to go after non-compliance signage which received permits.”
In 2014, people voiced support for Tripus at a meeting. One man described Tripus as “the most professional and respectful inspector he had worked with.”
3. David Green Does Not Have a Criminal History
Authorities have not yet specified a motive, but David Green does not have a criminal history that might have predicted the capability to murder. The shooting unfolded around 8:20 a.m.
It appears Paradise Township shooting suspect named by police as 72-year-old David Green has no criminal record in PA, other than a traffic ticket.
Pamela Lehman, a journalist with the Morning Call, wrote on Twitter, “It appears Paradise Township shooting suspect named by police as 72-year-old David Green has no criminal record in PA, other than a traffic ticket.”
4. Municipal Officials Said They Were ‘Shook Up’
State police investigating fatal shooting at Paradise Township municipal building. 1 person dead. 1 arrested @69News
The shooting shocked and distressed municipal officials. “I’m pretty shook up,” Gary Konrath, chairman of the Board of Supervisors, said to The Morning Call. “You say this a hundred times, but you wouldn’t think it would happen here.”
The small community is located in northeastern Pennsylvania in the Poconos area. It’s located about 100 miles from Philadelphia.
On LinkedIn, Michael Tripus described himself as “Self employed building contractor for 34 years. Residential and commercial building, electrical plumbing, mechanical and accessibility inspector from July 2005 to present. Commercial building, fire protection, plumbing and accessibility plans examiner.Pa. Department of Labor and Industry certified. Pa. DEP licensed Sewage Enforcement Officer.”
5. Mike Tripus Was Nearing Retirement
BREAKING: State police confirm one person is dead after a shooting this morning at the Paradise Township Municipal Building in Monroe County. Troopers say one man has been taken into custody. Investigators say there is currently no threat to the public
Mike Tripus was close to retirement, Konrath told Morning Call.
In 1998, a shooting happened at a Whitehall Township municipal building when Kenneth C. Adams shot himself as law enforcement officers met there for a training seminar. He killed himself in the town manager’s office.
In 2013, a gunman killed three people when he opened fire at a meeting being held at the Ross Township building. He was upset over a dispute involving a junkyard on his property, acoording to The Pocono Record.