Warminster Gun Fight Victim Identified

The investigation continues into who fired the fatal shot that killed the 89-year-old neighbor of a man who allegedly barricaded himself inside his apartment and engaged in a firefight with police Tuesday evening.

Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler identified the woman as Marie Zienkewicz, in an report issued by the Philadelphia Inquirer. 

Zienkewicz was the downstairs neighbor of Andrew Cairns. Cairns was charged with multiple counts related to the incident, including attempted murder and reckless endangerment, on Wednesday. Bail was set at $10 million.  

Warminster Police Chief Michael Murphy said officers were called to Cairns’ apartment Tuesday evening after receiving reports of shots fired. He said when they approached Cairns’ building they came under “heavy fire from the upstairs apartment.” Murphy said officers fired four rounds in return. 

Neighbors report hearing anywhere between 30 to 50 gunshots Tuesday evening. 

According to the arrest affidavit, Cairns is the registered owner of a number of guns, including a .44 magnum, a 12 gauge Winchester, a 9mm firearm and several .22 caliber and several .380 caliber firearms.

The investigation into the incident is being handled by the Bucks County District Attorney’s office.