Bradley Stone Manhunt Shifts to Bucks County

Would-be theft victim fired shots at assailant matching Stone's description.

Bradley Stone, the man accused of killing his ex-wife and five other members of her family Monday morning in Montgomery County, remains at large this morning. The hunt for him has shifted to Bucks County after a violent encounter on Monday evening.

The Upper Perkiomen School District is closed today while the manhunt continues.

Lehigh Valley Live reports:

A man resembling mass murder suspect Bradley Stone demanded the car keys of a Doylestown Township, Bucks County, man out walking his dog Monday night, leading the man to pull his gun and fire several rounds, township police confirmed.

The male assailant pulled a knife on the man around 7 p.m. in the area of Burpee and Shady Retreat roads, near Delaware Valley College, according to a posting on the department’s Facebook page. The suspect was described as a white man, standing about 5 feet 10 inches tall and wearing camouflage.

The victim resisted, fell to the ground, grabbed his gun and fired multiple rounds at the suspect, who was last seen running from the area, police said.

6ABC reports:

Late Monday night, the Upper Perkiomen School District announced it will close all schools on Tuesday, December 16th due to the continuing search for shooting suspect Bradley Stone.

The announcement on the district’s webpage reads:

“Due to the fact that law enforcement still seeks the whereabouts of an armed and dangerous local resident, Upper Perkiomen schools will be closed on Tuesday, December 16th. The District attorney has asked that people in our area remain vigilant. Decisions regarding re-opening of school will be made on a daily basis, based upon consultation with law enforcement and investigative personnel. Your on-going patience and cooperation is appreciated.”

Stone allegedly killed his ex-wife, Nicole Stone, also known in some reports as Nicole Hill. The Morning Call reports:

Stone, who served in the Marine Corps Reserve from 2002 to 2011 and was honorably discharged, has undergone treatment for post-traumatic shock syndrome, according to court records. They also show he suffered combat-related injuries during a 2008 combat tour in Iraq.

Vetri Ferman gave no motive for the shootings. But a Lower Salford neighbor of Hill’s said the two had a tumultuous relationship.

“They’ve been fighting for years, real bad,” Michelle Brewster said. “He’s been tormenting her. She’s gone to the police and she has told everybody, ‘He’s going to kill me.”’

The Montgomery News reports on the reaction of neighbors:

In Lansdale, West Fifth Street residents Bill and Lisa Andrey said they were “shocked and devastated” by the violent loss of their neighbors and friends.

“He wiped out four generations,” Bill said.

“We’ve lived here for 25 years,” Lisa said. “We’ve been their neighbor and their friends for 25 years. We know the family. We know the shooter. It’s just horrendous. And our kids are affected. It’s just awful.”

More to come today as developments warrant.