BUSHKILL, PA — Two women and five men have been arrested after forcibly attempting to take over the Pine Ridge Community near Bushkill. At about noon on November 18, the armed intruders led by alleged ringleader Tonia Scott, 49, of Bushkill entered the community. Several of the men, who were armed with various guns, tried to enter the community clubhouse.

Pine Ridge employees called Pennsylvania State Police at Blooming Grove to alert them to the situation. While police were en route to the scene, officers made contact with the Pine Ridge chief of security who told them the armed men had taken a security officer hostage. The armed men smashed windows and doors and then stole the captive security officer’s personal vehicle and a Pine Ridge security vehicle.

As the police approached, according to a police press release, “All vehicles and actors attempted to escape the development with the hostage via the community exit; however, responding Troop R Blooming Grove and Troop N Stroudsburg patrol units arrived on scene and quickly took six of the actors into custody without further incident. A short while later the seventh actor was successfully located after he crashed the stolen Pine Ridge security vehicle. The hostage was secured and reported minor injuries. It has been preliminarily determined that the actors committed this crime to ‘take the land back,’ claiming that they were indigenous Native Americans to the area and that the land belonged to them.”

Scott had been claiming ownership of the community since at least September, when she showed up at the community with documents that she claimed proved her ownership.

The seven suspects were charged with numerous crimes including aggravated assault, robbery, kidnapping, terrorism, unlawful restraint and criminal conspiracy.