Two men fatally shot in Mercer County

Staff report

SHARPSVILLE, PA.

Police are investigating the shooting deaths of two men, who were pronounced dead Monday afternoon in separate Mercer County locations.

Michael Eugene DeLong, 53, was pronounced dead of a gunshot wound to his back at 3:24 p.m. in the 1300 block of Buckeye Drive, South Pymatuning police said.

The other man, Sandy Joseph Hoffman, 50, who resided at the Buckeye Drive address, was pronounced dead of a gunshot wound to the chest at 3:52 p.m. in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Hermitage.

Both men were pronounced dead by John A. Libonati, Mercer County deputy coroner. A forensic pathologist with the Erie County Coroner’s Office was to perform autopsies on DeLong and Hoffman today.

The relationship between — and circumstances surrounding — the deaths are being investigated by South Pymatuning and Hermitage police, who declined to release additional information.

The Vindicator’s broadcast partner, 21WFMJ-TV, reported police received a call shortly before 3 p.m. from a South Pymatuning Township home, in which the caller said he had killed someone in self defense and was headed to the cemetery, where police could find him.