Halloween Reinstated After Manhunt For Frein Ends
By Natasha Brown
MILFORD, Pa., (CBS) -- A collective sigh of relief from a community held hostage by fear for seven weeks.
A crowd cheered and booed as Eric Frein was lead into the Pike County Courthouse Friday to be charged with murder.
"It's such a relief to finally be over, be done, and know that they can go outside and play," parent Janine Sopko said.
Some sense of normalcy returned to neighborhoods hours after the manhunt for Frein ended. The massive police presence that once scoured the Pocono mountains replaced on this Halloween by the sight of children enjoying trick or treating, an activity that was set to be cancelled.
"These kids have lived with this police presence and the concern of having a person that's on the run and wanted by law enforcement in amongst them and their community and now they can get back to normal," Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said.
"I started crying because it was just joy. I mean to know that they can go out and play and not have to worry. And forget about the trick-or-treating part, just that we're safe," parent Dawn Rack said.
Halloween festivities were underway at The Crossings Premium Outlets where stores handed out candy to trick-or-treaters. But some parents say they had already planned for a night in had the manhunt still been underway.
"We were just gonna stay home, I hadn't bought candy. They didn't even have an outfit. This is something I got today, and she already had her's from last year because we were not coming out," said parent Arianna Mosquea.
While thoughts of Cpl. Bryon Dickson's death during the ambush at the Blooming Grove barracks linger, this small community exhales in the comfort of knowing their safety is no longer at risk.
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