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HAZLETON — Two men shot each other on a narrow city street Monday night during an attempted robbery, police say.

Officers responded at 9:49 p.m. to the 1000 block of North Manhattan Court for a report of a shooting. Upon arrival, they found that there had been an exchange of gunfire between two males, both of whom sustained non life-threatening wounds.

After securing the scene, the officers tended to the victims until paramedics arrived on scene. Both males were transported to local hospitals and subsequently transported to trauma hospitals.

“Preliminarily, the incident appears to stem from the sale of a video game system and attempted armed robbery. The investigation is continuing and upon completion, investigators will meet with the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office for guidance on the appropriate charges,” Hazleton Police Chief Jerry Speziale said Monday in a prepared statement.

At the scene on Monday, police seemed to focus their attention in the area around a red Chevrolet sedan that had a shattered rear windshield. A puddle of blood and blood droplets were observed on the street nearby.

A neighbor said her sister, who also lives nearby, heard five or six gunshots followed by a man screaming as if in pain before calling 911.

The neighbor said gunshots were previously heard in the usually quiet neighborhood about two weeks ago.

Pennsylvania State Police and Butler Township police were at the scene to assist with the investigation.

Police investigate a shooting on Manhattan Court in Hazleton on Monday night.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_Shooting-web-1.jpg.optimal.jpgPolice investigate a shooting on Manhattan Court in Hazleton on Monday night. Steve Mocarsky | Times Leader

By Steve Mocarsky

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Reach Steve Mocarsky at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @TLSteveMocarsky.