The 1982 Wilkes-Barre Shootings: A Tragic Rampage

Prelude to Horror

On the morning of September 25, 1982, the quiet towns of Wilkes-Barre and Jenkins Township, Pennsylvania, were rocked by a brutal spree shooting that claimed the lives of 13 individuals. The perpetrator, George Emil Banks, was a former Camp Hill prison guard who unleashed a torrent of violence that left a permanent scar on the community.

George Banks, born on June 22, 1942, in Wilkes-Barre, was the son of John Mack, a Black man, and Mary Yelland, a white woman. His mixed-race heritage, coupled with the societal racism he faced, became a pivotal point in his defense years later. Banks's early life was marked by crime; at 19, he participated in an armed robbery, resulting in a six to fifteen-year prison sentence. Despite a brief escape in 1964, he was paroled in 1969 and later had his sentence commuted by Governor Milton Shapp in 1974.

After his release, Banks married Doris M. Banks, a Black woman, on August 23, 1969, with whom he had two daughters. However, following their divorce in 1976, Banks's relationships were exclusively with white women. By September 1982, Banks lived with three girlfriends and their children, along with another man's daughter, all under one roof.

In 1980, Banks was inexplicably hired as a correctional officer at Camp Hill, despite his criminal past. It was a position fraught with tension; he reportedly confided to coworkers about an impending race war and expressed a desire to shield his children from the racial strife he believed he endured. His mental stability drew concern when, on September 6, 1982, he locked himself in a guard tower, threatening suicide, leading to his suspension and a mental health evaluation.

The Deadly Rampage

The night before the massacre, Banks consumed a substantial amount of gin and prescription drugs at his home on Schoolhouse Lane. The next day, armed with a Colt AR-15 SP1 semi-automatic rifle, he embarked on a killing spree. In his home, Banks murdered eight individuals: his three girlfriends, who were in their 20s, and five children, four of whom he fathered. Two of his victims were sisters, Regina Clemens and Susan Yuhas.

Dressed in military fatigues, Banks then targeted 22-year-old Jimmy Olsen and 24-year-old Ray Hall Jr., who were outside a neighboring house. He shot both men, killing Hall and injuring Olsen, before fleeing the scene.

Banks's next destination was the Heather Highlands mobile home park, where his former girlfriend Sharon Mazzillo and their son Kissamayu resided. Banks forced his way in, killing Sharon, their son, Sharon's mother Alice, and her nephew Scott. A bullet to Alice’s nasal passage caused her head to explode. Sharon's brother, the sole survivor, hid in a closet and later identified Banks as the assailant.

The Manhunt and Capture

As police pieced together the gruesome scenes, they connected the mobile home murders to the earlier shootings at Schoolhouse Lane. Banks, meanwhile, abandoned his car, carjacked another vehicle, and eventually sought refuge in a secluded grassy area where he fell asleep.

Upon waking, Banks visited his mother's home in Wilkes-Barre, confessing his crimes to her. She drove him to the residence of Jacob Whitt, a friend, before departing. A tense standoff with police ensued, with authorities employing various tactics to coax Banks into surrendering. These included a fabricated news report on WILK radio, claiming the children survived and needed blood donations. Ultimately, it was former coworker Robert Brunson who persuaded Banks to give himself up after a four-hour standoff.

The Judicial Reckoning

On September 30, 1982, George Banks faced charges including eight counts of murder, attempted murder, and other serious offenses. Held without bail, Banks's trial commenced on June 6, 1983, at the Luzerne County Courthouse. Despite his attorney Albert Joseph Flora Jr.'s insanity defense, Banks insisted on testifying, claiming police were responsible for some deaths. Witnesses, including James Olsen, refuted his claims, identifying Banks as the shooter.

On June 21, 1983, closing arguments concluded, and the jury convicted Banks on multiple charges, recommending the death penalty the following day.

Appeals and Incompetency Rulings

Banks's case journeyed through a series of appeals, reaching the U.S. Supreme Court, which upheld his conviction. Despite Governor Tom Ridge signing two death warrants, federal courts intervened, preventing his execution. Mental competency hearings in 2001, 2006, and 2008 consistently found Banks delusional, rendering him unfit for execution.

In 2010, further examinations reaffirmed his incompetency, leading to his confinement in a restricted housing unit at Graterford prison. By 2018, Banks, still on death row, was transferred to SCI-Phoenix following Graterford's closure.

Legacy of Tragedy

The 1982 Wilkes-Barre shootings remain Pennsylvania's deadliest mass shooting, a grim reminder of the potential for devastation within a community. As of September 2017, George Banks resides on death row, his mental state a continuing barrier to his execution.

Sources

• Wikipedia: George Emil Banks