Gunshot alerts police to abused woman

Williamsport, Pa. — A gunshot fired out a window led to charges for a 20-year-old man who reportedly strangled and dragged his girlfriend by the hair.

Police responded to a home in the 1200 block of Isabella Street where Dominic Sanso, 20, of Williamsport and two other people were inside, according to a complaint. Sanso allegedly strangled a woman who was in the home.

Three people were removed from the residence on Sept. 10 after officers responded to reports that a man was holding a gun to a woman's head inside the home, Agent Christopher Salisbury of the Williamsport Bureau of Police said. Three guns, including an AR-15-style weapon, were found inside the apartment after it was cleared. A spent 9mm casing was in plain view, Salisbury added.

A victim, who was inside the home, told police she had been arguing with Sanso and he tried to pull her outside by dragging her by the hair and neck, according to the Salisbury. Sanso allegedly placed his hand around the victim's throat. "She stated it was hard to breathe," Salisbury said.

She broke away from Sanso and retrieved a Smith & Wesson handgun from upstairs, according to the complaint. The victim fired a single shot out a window "to see if it worked." Sanso argued with the woman, then fought with her over the weapon.

Sanso is under 21, making him ineligible to possess a handgun. Police say the Smith & Wesson gun was "reported stolen from our department" in May and someone had tried to obliterate the serial number on the weapon.

Sanso is being charged with strangulation, receiving stolen property, altering a mark of identification, simple assault, and harassment. He is being held at the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $40,000 monetary bail.

A preliminary hearing with Judge Aaron Biichle is scheduled for the end of the month.