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Pennsylvania judge Sonya McKnight charged after allegedly shooting ex-boyfriend in head as he slept

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Pennsylvania judge Sonya McKnight charged after allegedly shooting ex-boyfriend in head as he slept


A Pennsylvania judge allegedly shot her ex-boyfriend in the head while he slept before she tried convincing him that he shot himself as he lay blinded in one eye.

Magisterial District Judge Sonya M. McKnight, 57, was charged with first-degree attempted murder and aggravated assault charges Thursday for shooting Michael McCoy in his Harrisburg area home on Feb. 9, according to court records.

Suspended District Judge Sonya McKnight has been charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting her estranged boyfriend. AP

Susquehanna Township Police wrote in the arrest affidavit that McCoy, 54, had tried “numerous times” to end his one-year relationship with McKnight, as well as trying to get her to move out of his home before she allegedly attempted to kill him.

McCoy had returned home from a tavern to find McKnight relaxing on his couch in her pajamas and again told her she needed to leave, saying he would enlist the help of her mother to get her out of his home if he had to. She allegedly agreed to go.

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“Michael McCoy stated that it was like she finally understood that it was over,” police said.

Following what seemed to be an understanding between the pair, McCoy went to bed at about 11 p.m. that Friday.

However, sometime later, he was awoken by a “massive head pain” and was blind.

He panicked, screaming in pain and confusion, which alerted McKnight to come bolting into the bedroom.

“Mike, what did you do to yourself?” McKnight asked her estranged boyfriend upon entering the room, according to police.

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The shooting happened on Friday, Feb. 9, in the home of Michael McCoy in the Harrisburg area. YouTube/FOX43 News
McKnight faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted. Dauphin County Prison

McKnight called 911 shortly before 1 a.m. that Saturday to report McCoy’s injury.

Police shared that during the call she “could not explain what happened and stated that she was sleeping and heard him screaming.”

Emergency responders rushed McCoy to the hospital where they found a gunshot wound to the right temple that exited his left temple.

Authorities say the extent of the damage left McCoy blind in his right eye.

McKnight has been an elected judge in Dauphin County since 2016. Facebook/Sonya McKnight

A gun registered to McKnight was found at the scene and she was found to have gunshot residue on her hands only an hour after the shooting, according to the affidavit.

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McCoy had told police at the scene that he did not shoot himself, a statement he reiterated while in the hospital.

Both McCoy and McKnight said no one besides them was in the home during the shooting.

McKnight had also told investigators that she did not leave the home on the night of the shooting, but that claim was quickly debunked after doorbell footage from a neighbor’s home showed her leaving the house.

McKnight allegedly tried convincing her estranged boyfriend he shot himself as he lay blinded in bed. AP

McCoy told police he believed she had followed him to the tavern he was at that Friday evening.

McKnight has since been suspended from her duties as an elected judge in Dauphin County, a position she’s held since 2016.

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She’s currently locked up in the Dauphin County Prison as of Friday and her bail set at $300,000.

Due to a conflict of interest, her case will be transferred from Dauphin County to neighboring Cumberland County and prosecuted by District Attorney Sean McCormack.

McKnight is seen leaving the Susquehanna Twp. Police department in cuffs on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. AP

In 2019, McKnight shot her estranged husband, Enoch McKnight, in his groin after asking him to come to her home to help her move furniture, Pennlive.com reported.

The couple married in 2014 but had filed for divorce two years later. However, the divorce was still pending at the time of the shooting, which was ruled to be self-defense as the pair were in the midst of a domestic dispute.

Mcknight faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted of first-degree attempted murder since she allegedly inflicted bodily harm on McCoy, according to Pennsylvania law.

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Charles Barkley teams up with Pennsylvania casino for new steakhouse, cigar lounge

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Charles Barkley teams up with Pennsylvania casino for new steakhouse, cigar lounge


Get ready, King of Prussia, something new is coming to the community.

Valley Forge Casino Resort announced a partnership with NBA legend and Philadelphia icon Charles Barkley to open a new steakhouse and cigar lounge at the Boyd Gaming-owned resort.

“The Philadelphia area has always felt like home to me, and I’m thrilled to bring something new to a community that’s played such a big part in my life,” Charles Barkley said in a news release. “We’re creating a spot that’s fun, comfortable, and full of personality. I want it to be the kind of place where people can unwind, share a great meal and feel that same energy and connection that make this community so special.”

The steakhouse is set to “fuse contemporary elegance with nods to Barkley’s storied career.” It will have personal memorabilia and design elements that celebrate him and his ties to the Philadelphia region.

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Next door to the steakhouse, the cigar lounge will have a club-like vibe with a walk-in humidor, private lockers and a bar.

“Charles Barkley’s personality, charisma and love for Philadelphia make him an incredible partner, and we are incredibly honored to have the opportunity to bring his vision to life at Valley Forge Casino Resort,” said Martha Morales, Vice President and General Manager of Valley Forge Casino Resort.

Officials said that at Valley Forge, Barkey will help shape the restaurant’s menu and overall vision.

Boyd Gaming has even entered a national partnership to feature spirits from Redmont Distilling Co., Barkley’s signature liquor brand, across all of its properties.

In addition, Boyd Gaming will make an annual contribution to Barkley’s charitable foundation, The Charles Barkley Foundation, which supports education and historically Black colleges and universities.

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Known as one of the greatest players in NBA history, Barkley first rose to fame as a power forward for the Philadelphia 76ers from 1984 to 1992.

After retiring from the NBA, Barkey became a successful television analyst, working on shows such as “Inside the NBA.”



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Attorney General Dave Sunday visits Pittsburgh to discuss fight against fentanyl trafficking

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Attorney General Dave Sunday visits Pittsburgh to discuss fight against fentanyl trafficking


Fentanyl continues to destroy lives across the state, and western Pennsylvania is not immune.

Pennsylvania’s attorney general was in Pittsburgh on Monday to talk about how to stop the flow of the dangerous drug.

First, there was OxyContin, then there was heroin, and now, fentanyl is what’s taking so many lives when it comes to illegal drugs.

Attorney General Dave Sunday has released some shocking numbers. He says the battle against the deadly drug is ongoing, and they’re making progress, but this war is far from over.

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“The mission is to stop fentanyl, to remove fentanyl from our streets, in our streets and neighborhoods, and to hold accountable the predatory traffickers profiting in death and destruction,” Attorney General Sunday said.

Sunday pointed out the cold reality in the form of numbers. Figures that he says add up to the fatal toll the illegal drug continues to produce.

“We have seized more than 100,000 grams, which is more than 220 pounds, through September, which puts us at over 50 million doses and counting,” Attorney General Sunday said. “Nearly 18 million doses have been seized in the greater Pittsburgh area.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2024, statewide, 3,358 people died from overdose deaths. Sixty percent of those deaths were from fentanyl, with 665 of the victims coming from Allegheny County alone.

“[The drug] enters the United States from Mexico, from chemicals in China,” Attorney General Sunday said, but it’s not exclusive.

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Law enforcement officials say the precursor chemicals for fentanyl are also flowing into American ports on both coasts, with millions of pills being produced in clandestine production facilities in homes, apartments, and businesses.

“People are obtaining these pill presses, they’re making these pills, they’re making their way to schools, to colleges, to parties; it’s unbelievably dangerous,” Attorney General Sunday said.

These operations are dramatically dropping the cost of the deadly drugs.

“A few years ago, an ounce of fentanyl could be upwards of $8,000. That’s 14,000 doses of fentanyl. Today, an ounce can be purchased for $200.”

Attorney General Sunday added that times are dark, but there is hope. He cited the Law Enforcement Treatment Initiative program, otherwise known as LETI.

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“The program diverts individuals out of the criminal justice system and into treatment,” Sunday said. “Long-term recovery is a very real thing.”



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Pennsylvania State Police investigating after man’s body found on state game lands in Westmoreland County

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Pennsylvania State Police investigating after man’s body found on state game lands in Westmoreland County



Pennsylvania State Police are investigating after a man’s body was found on Saturday night in Westmoreland County.

A hunter came across the body on state game lands across from the 17th hole of the Mannitto Golf Course in New Alexandria.

The victim was later identified as Robert Friend, state police said via social media. 

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Pennsylvania State Police are investigating after Robert Friend’s body was found on Saturday night in Westmoreland County.

Photo Credit: Pennsylvania State Police


Police have not said how Friend died, but they are calling his death suspicious. Anyone who saw Friend on Friday is asked to contact the Pennsylvania State Police Troop A barracks at 724-697-5780.

More information is expected to be made public on Monday, police said.

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