In a tragic turn of events on a Friday afternoon in Hopwood, Pennsylvania, 55-year-old Brian Joseph Coll lost his life in a violent confrontation. On June 3, 2022, Coll was in the parking lot of his workplace, George R. Smalley Company on Atlas Road, when he was shot multiple times. First responders arrived at the scene around 3 p.m. and transported him to Uniontown Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police quickly identified the shooter
as 50-year-old Craig Rishel. According to police, Rishel was distraught and angry because Coll was in a relationship with his ex-wife. Rishel had gone to the electrical contracting company where both Coll and his ex-wife worked. After shooting Coll, Rishel attempted to enter the business, but was unsuccessful and fled the scene before authorities arrived.
Following the shooting, troopers located Rishel in his vehicle. He was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene. Inside the vehicle, police discovered two firearms and multiple handwritten notes in which Rishel explained his actions. The case was determined to be a murder-suicide, and as a result, no arrests were made.
Brian Coll, a 1984 graduate of Albert Gallatin High School, was a licensed electrician and electrical inspector who had been a valued employee of the George R. Smalley Company since 2005. He was known in his community as an active member of Masontown Matters, the Masontown Fish & Game Club, and St. Francis of Assisi Parish. His obituary describes him as someone always willing to lend a helping hand. He is survived by his three children and his brother.
