Five state troopers were hailed as heroes Friday after they rescued a 10-year-old girl following the fatal shooting of her mother at their Jackson Township home.

"The acts of these troopers saved this 10-year-old child's life as well as possibly the lives of the neighbors," Sgt. Paul Gaspich, commander of the state police's Jonestown barracks, said during a press conference at the barracks late Friday morning. "The troopers put themselves in harm's way. ... I can't say enough about these troopers."

The troopers were not identified.

Troopers were dispatched at 4:11 a.m. after Jonathan Paul Eisenhauer of 496 Kutztown


Road called 9-1-1 and said he had shot his wife and dog. The victim, 33-year-old Andrea Eisenhauer, was later pronounced dead at the scene by Lebanon County Coroner Dr. Jeffrey Yocum. The dog also died.

Within 10 minutes of receiving the call, five troopers arrived at the single-family home in the residential neighborhood north of Myerstown.

"They immediately began taking gunfire," Gaspich said. "As soon as the first trooper stepped out of his vehicle, he was immediately engaged with gunfire."

Eisenhauer fired on all five troopers with a rifle from a second-floor window, and troopers returned fire, police said. Eisenhauer, who was injured at some point, stopped shooting and retreated from the window, then appeared at a first-floor door holding the 10-year-old girl.

"The troopers did not return fire when they saw the child was a hostage," Gaspich said.

At that point, troopers formed a tactical plan and reacted quickly, Gaspich said.

"They looked for places of cover, for concealment," he said. "They used the darkness as cover and rushed at the armed gentleman."

Eisenhauer released the girl and attempted to retreat into the house, police said. Two troopers entered the home, with one grabbing the girl. The other troopers entered, saw that Eisenhauer no longer appeared to be armed and subdued him with the use of a Taser.
Eisenhauer was taken into custody and transported to the Hershey Medical Center for treatment of a gunshot wound to his shoulder area. He was listed in serious condition on Friday, police said.

The girl is under the care of family members, police said.

Lebanon County District Attorney David Arnold said Eisenhauer would be charged with criminal homicide and at least five counts of attempted homicide along with "possible charges relative to the child."

Based on her Facebook page, Andrea Eisenhauer was a 1995 graduate of Lebanon High School and worked at the Lebanon VA Medical Center.

"The Lebanon VAMC is deeply saddened by this tragedy, and our thoughts and condolences go out to family, friends and co-workers during this difficult time," medical center Director Robert W. Callahan Jr. said in a statement. "Andrea was a well-respected employee whose absence will be felt by the VA family for years to come."

Callahan said VA chaplains, psychologists and social workers are available to staff members seeking grief counseling.

According to public records, Andrea Eisenhauer filed for divorce on April 24, 2005, but the case was dismissed on Feb. 4, 2008, because of inactivity.

Jonathan Eisenhauer has several prior criminal charges. According to court records, he pleaded guilty to and was sentenced for recklessly endangering another person in August 2005, drunken driving in December 2003 and simple assault in July 1999.

He was sentenced to county prison on Aug. 25, 2005, for six to 23 months for offenses that included recklessly endangering another person and fleeing police. That was for an incident Nov. 14, 2004, in which he drove down Walnut Street in the city at a high rate of speed. He led police on a chase that began along East Walnut Street at the county prison. Police clocked him going 95 mph on King Street in South Lebanon Township. The chase ended when the car went off the road and came to a stop in a field along Ramona Road in Jackson Township.

On July 14, 1999, Eisenhauer was sentenced to two years probation for simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and fleeing police. Those charges resulted from an incident Sept. 10, 1998, in which he struck city police Officer Gary Baylor, who was on a police bicycle on South 10th Street at Cumberland streets.

Baylor rode up alongside Eisenhauer on Cumberland Street and told him to pull over, police said. After hitting Baylor, Eisenhauer sped away.

Eisenhauer also has a record for drunken driving, for which he was sentenced on Dec. 10, 2003, and a 2001 marijuana possession case.

The state police major case team from Troop L, based in Reading, is investigating the shooting, which was the first homicide of the year in Lebanon County.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the 10-year-old girl and Andrea's family and friends," Gaspich said.

Capt. Dante Orlandi of Troop L said the responding troopers would receive counseling services.