Delaware County Council once again faced concerns about immigration at last week’s meeting against the backdrop of shots fired in a Radnor park over the weekend.

Sgt. Brady McHale of the Radnor Township Police Department said Tomas Cruz-Gayosso, 33, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was arrested last Sunday after police responded to Skunk Hollow Park on a a report of shots fired.

Several spent casings were found in Cruz-Gayosso’s vehicle as well as opened bottles of beer and liquor. And, the park needed to be closed for 45 minutes while officers investigated.

At Wednesday’s county council meeting, several community members voiced concerns.

“Somebody, Elaine, in a park near your house, fired off six shots,” Charles Alexander of Marple said to County Councilwoman Elaine Paul Schaefer. “That’s great, in a township park in Delaware County, Pa., firing off six rounds.”

Alexander said he’d place blame on council if anyone is hurt by an illegal immigrant.

“Like we haven’t warned you?” he said. “We’re going to continue bringing this up. And when you do nothing and somebody’s child, mother, sister, brother, anyone is hurt, we are going to hold you responsible.”

Gary Ryder of Marple was concerned about the safety of kids who use the park and its nearby environs.

“That guy shot off, an illegal immigrant that you guys are letting in our county,” he said.

Police said Cruz-Gayosso had a work visa but were unable to determine if he was in the United States legally or illegally.

Back at the county council meeting, lifelong county resident Diane Tumolo said she’s a nurse.

“We’re all immigrants. I love immigrants. I take care of immigrants,” she said. “Illegal is the problem … When you have people coming in here that are not documented, we don’t know what diseases they are carrying.”

Debra Morton of Springfield shared her perspective as an immigrant who’s been an American citizen for seven years now.

“I chose to move here because it is a fantastic country,” she said. “When I came to the U.S., I owned a green card. I was subject to blood tests, questioning and biometric records. These are reasonable safety precautions for a country who wants to know who is coming to stay and who is coming to live here.”

She added that family who visit her are also subject to biometric records as they enter.

“It isn’t just about immigration,” Morton said. “It is about the legality of everything that is happening and the safety of people who have children, live in a township with parks … and it terrifies me to think that there are people committing the crimes that we’ve seen in New York and in other areas … It’s a safety issue.”

She voiced concern about the costs of care.

“There’s no way that our society and our county can sustain a large number of people that are not paying taxes because we’re going to run out of money and then we’re all going to be in trouble,” she said.

County Councilman Kevin Madden said he was not going to question their fears or anxieties, and recommended that they take their concerns to those in government, particularly at the federal level, who have jurisdiction over immigration and customs enforcement.

“It’s not us,” he said of county council.

Police specifics

Of last Sunday’s incident, McHale added, “There were no injuries to bystanders or residents near the park.”

He said police were initially dispatched to Saw Mill Park for the reports of shots fired and realized the incident was occurring across the creek bed at Skunk Hollow Park.

Police found Cruz-Gayosso seated in a black SUV with several open bottles of beer and liquor, a 9 mm handgun and six spent casings in plain view.

McHale said the gun was in someone else’s name.

“He does not have a license to carry a firearm,” the sergeant said of Cruz-Gayosso.

Cruz-Gayosso was charged with firearms not to be carried without a license, recklessly endangering another person and DUI.

McHale said Cruz-Gayosso was taken into custody without incident and told officers he was “staying local,” but they were unable to determine what that meant.

McHale said he seems to be transient.

He said it was similar to a case in 2022 when a man was taken into custody after a report of shots fired in Fenimore Woods Park.

In that case, McHale said the man said he had just purchased a gun and wanted to see what it was like to shoot it off.

Regarding a reason for Cruz-Gayosso to shoot, McHale said, “He did not elaborate on the purpose for that.”

The sergeant added that no property in or around Skunk Hollow Park appeared damaged.

Arrested and sent to George W. Hill Correctional Facility, Cruz-Gayosso was released two days later after posting 10% of his $35,000 bail. No defense attorney was listed.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 5 before Magisterial District Judge Sloan Walker.

McHale urged citizens to remain aware, wherever they may be.

“Crime is not immune anywhere,” the sergeant said. “Being alert and oriented of your surroundings is so important.”

Originally Published: August 11, 2024 at 7:39 a.m.