PITTSTON TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — It was a day that changed her life, so says a young woman who was shot in the back at a local shopping plaza in 2022.
On Tuesday, she came face to face with the man accused of shooting her. That man, 37-year-old Christopher Carmona, was in court to face a slew of charges, including attempted homicide.
The Pittston Township Crossings was where the incident unfolded in June 2022, the woman who was shot says she will never forget that fateful day.
Christoper Carmona had nothing to say as he was brought into district court in Pittston Tuesday morning. He’s accused of shooting then-20-year-old Alyssa Bulford in the back.
Bulford testified that she was walking out of a nail salon at the Pittston Crossings near Route 315 on the afternoon of June 1, 2022. She saw Carmona near her car and asked him what he was doing. He reportedly replied nothing.
Carmona then allegedly asked Bulford if she could give her a ride and if she was going to call the cops. She told him no.
Bulford said she sensed danger and was scared, turned her back, and walked away.
It’s then Bulford says Carmona shot her twice in the back. She screamed and managed to crawl back into the nail salon.
At the same time, an armed bystander saw the commotion and fired shots at Carmona. Carmona was not hit and allegedly fled on foot into the woods.
28/22 News I-Team Reporter Andy Mehalshick asked the lead prosecutor if the bystander’s actions may have saved lives that day.
“Well, it’s unclear, but he did attempt to intervene. Mr. Camona fled at that point, so really we’d be speculating if we predicted what else could have happened. Obviously, this could have been much worse situation by Mr. Carmona fled into the woods and State Police found him,” said Luzerne County Assistant District Attorney Jarrett Ferentino.
“How did this change your life?” Mehalshick asked.
“I mean it changed everything, the way I look, my outlook on things, how I feel going out. School, work, everything. It definitely impacts everything,” Bulford explained.
Bulford says support from family and friends helped her get through a tough ordeal.
“Just, my whole family, everybody that’s here with me. Everybody’s been so great. The people I work with, my school, everybody,” Bulford added.
“Is there anything you want to say to him? You want him to know?” Mehalshick asked.
“No. I don’t have anything to say to him,” Bulford stated.
District Judge Kokura Kravitz ruled there was enough evidence to send all charges, including attempted homicide and endangering the public, to court for possible trial.
