A New Castle man who police say opened fire on a block in June, forcing a nearby school into lockdown, has been sentenced to at least 141 days behind bars. Haji Jacobs, 34, was found guilty of recklessly endangering another person and a weapons offense, according to court records, and was sentenced after his conviction in the case.
Police said Jacobs fired shots in the 100 block of N. Mercer Street on June 2, as reported by WKBN.com. No one was hit by the gunfire, but the incident prompted New Castle Jr./Sr. High School to be placed on a temporary lockdown as a precaution. The station's report, citing court records, says Jacobs was sentenced Tuesday following his conviction.
Beyond the jail term, the sentence includes several conditions aimed at the circumstances of the case. Per the same account, Jacobs was ordered to have no contact with the victim, to undergo a mental health evaluation, and to complete an anger-management course.
How Pennsylvania Law Treats the Charge
The reckless-endangerment count that led to part of Jacobs's conviction is defined under state law as a second-degree misdemeanor, committed when a person recklessly engages in conduct that places or may place another person in danger of death or serious bodily injury, according to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. That statute applies broadly to conduct that endangers others even when, as in this case, no one is struck by gunfire.
The case drew attention locally in June when gunfire near N. Mercer Street led authorities to lock down the junior/senior high school while they investigated. More than four months later, the courts have closed out that chapter with Jacobs's conviction and sentencing.
A Pattern Seen Elsewhere in the Region
New Castle's case is one of several gunfire incidents working their way through Pennsylvania courts this year. An Erie man was separately sentenced this week in a 2023 shooting that wounded an 11-year-old boy, according to goerie.com, underscoring that shootings without immediate injury or with delayed consequences continue to generate lengthy prosecutions across the region.
