In the late summer of 2015, a violent encounter in the parking lot of a tavern in Delaware Township, Pennsylvania, cut short the life of 23-year-old Kristopher Hanscom of Bushkill. The young man, who was born in Queens, New York, and had spent his life in the Bushkill area, died on August 19, 2015, from a gunshot wound to the head sustained the previous day.
The fatal incident unfolded on August 18 outside the Silver Lake Tavern, where Hanscom was involved in a confrontation with another patron. According to witnesses, another man, Jared Masker, 31, of Milford, approached Hanscom and gave him 30 seconds to leave the property. Masker then pulled out a revolver, placed it under Hanscom's jaw, and after a brief exchange, pulled the trigger, shooting him in the face. After the shooting, Masker fled the scene. Emergency services were called, and authorities found a significant amount of blood and several of Hanscom's teeth at the scene. Hanscom was transported to a hospital where he died the following day.
The investigation quickly led to Jared Masker, who was apprehended in Branchville, New Jersey, the day after the shooting. He was initially charged with criminal attempt-murder, aggravated assault, and firearms-related offenses. Following Hanscom's death, the case became a homicide investigation.
Ultimately, Jared Masker pleaded guilty to third-degree murder for the shooting of Kristopher Hanscom. In July 2017, he was sentenced to 17 to 45 years in state prison.
