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Hunter's shooting of property owner ruled justified

PITTSBURGH - State police say they won't charge a bear hunter who shot and killed a property owner who first shot him during an argument about trespassing in rural northern Pennsylvania.

PITTSBURGH - State police say they won't charge a bear hunter who shot and killed a property owner who first shot him during an argument about trespassing in rural northern Pennsylvania.

State police in Punxsutawney say the Nov. 24 shooting of Frank Shaffer, 63, of Red Lion, was justified.

Police said yesterday that Shaffer confronted five hunters on property he owns in Summerville and ordered them off his land. A short time later, he confronted three of them in another area near his property line and fired at least four shots at Paul Plyler, 23, of Summerville, with a semiautomatic rifle. Plyler was hit in the back and the hand, police said. Plyler fired back, hitting Shaffer once in the abdomen. Summerville is about 60 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. - AP