AWESOME MULTI-MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE TRAGIC SHOOTOUT IN STANTON HEIGHTS AND OF THE DAYS FOLLOWING THE TRAGIC LOSS OF 3 PITTSBURGH POLICE OFFICERS. MULTI-MEDIA COVERAGE IS COURTESY OF THE PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE. TO SEE THIS COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE CLICK HE LINK BELOW
PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE MULTI MEDIA COVERAGE

AUDIO OF THE TRAGIC STANTON HEIGHTS SHOOTOUT THAT CLAIMED THE LIFE OF 3 PITTSBURGH POLICE OFFICERS CAN BE DOWNLOADED AND LISTENED TO BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW. (AUDIO IS COURTESY OF incidentbroadcast)

STANTON HEIGHTS SHOOTOUT AUDIO

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LEAVE YOUR CONDOLENCES FOR THE FALLEN OFFICERS AND THEIR FAMILIES BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW.

PITTSBURGH POLICE OFFICERS MEMORIAL

ADDITIONAL LINKS ON LAST PAGE OF THE GALLERY OF ADDITIONAL PHOTOS AS WELL AS A LINK TO DOWNLOAD AND WATCH VIDEO OF OFFICER MAYHLE'S FUNERAL PROCESSION IN INDIANA COUNTY. THE ADDITIONAL PHOTOS AND VIDEO ARE COURTESY OF RENDA BROADCASTING PRODUCTIONS

On Saturday, April 4, 2009 shortly after 7:00 a.m. City of Pittsburgh police officers from Zone 5, were dispatched to a reported Mother/Son domestic situation at 1016 Fairfield Street, in the Stanton Heights neighborhood of the City of Pittsburgh.

Officers Paul Sciullo II and Stephen Mayhle, who were the late cars on the night shift, responded to the scene. Officer Eric Kelly, who had just gotten off duty and was on his way home, heard the domestic call come over his radio and since he is from the Stanton Heights neighborhood, stopped on his way home, to see if he could assist Officers Sciullo and Mayhle.

Officers Sciullo and Mayhle knocked on the door of the Fairfield Street residence and identified themselves as Pittsburgh police officers. Within moments gunfire erupted from inside the home. The rounds from an AK-47 struck Officers Sciullo and Mayhle in the head. Officer Sciullo fell in the doorway of the residence and Officer Mayhle fell out in the front yard, not far from the door. Officer Eric Kelly who had exited his personal vehicle, was shot a short distance from his vehicle and fell to the street. Officer Kelly was able to transmit the call for help on his portable radio, saying, “Shots fired Officers down need assistance.”

Officers immediately responded to plea for help…officer down call. One of the first backup officers to arrive was Timothy McManaway, who attempted to rescue the fallen officers and pull them out of the line of fire. In a brave attempt to rescue his brother officers, Officer McManaway sustained a gunshot wound to his hand. Officer McManaway took cover and waited for additional backup units. In a matter of minutes, numerous police and EMS units flooded the area. City of Pittsburgh SWAT team members responded to the scene along with their armored vehicle (BEAR).

During this time, the actor continued to fire shots out the window of the residence at responding officers. Several rounds struck the armored vehicle. SWAT team members attempted to execute a rescue of the fallen officers, but were met with gunfire each time they tried. A perimeter was established, numerous roads were shut down and residents in the neighborhood were told to stay away from their door and windows. Another police officer, Brian Jones, who was attempting to secure the rear of the residence, sustained a broken leg when a fence gave way that he had climbed.

Automatic gunfire continued to come from a window of the house. SWAT team personnel exchanged gunfire with the actor. Negotiators attempted to make contact with the actor, with priority being to negotiate the rescue of the fallen officers. SWAT commander requested that the Allegheny County SWAT team respond with their armored vehicle for assistance. As the tense situation continued on, numerous other law enforcement agencies responded to assist, including; Pennsylvania State Police, Allegheny County Sheriff, Port Authority Police, State Police helicopter.

SWAT team members utilizing a police van rigged with bullet proof vests were finally able to rescue the fallen officers and get them to waiting EMS units. Officers Sciullo and Mayhle succumbed to their wounds at the scene. Officer Kelly succumbed to his wounds at a Pittsburgh hospital. Officers McManaway and Jones were transported to undisclosed Pittsburgh hospitals for treatment of their injuries.

After several hours and nearly 100 rounds exchanged in the gun battle, Negotiators were able to get the actor to cease fire and surrender. SWAT team members entered the residence and located the 23 year-old male actor, Richard Poplawski in his bedroom with multiple gun shot wounds to the legs. Actor struggled with officers as they were taken into custody. Actor was also found to be wearing a bullet proof vest. The actor was transported by EMS to UPMC Presbyterian hospital under a police escort.

It appears as this was a pre-meditated ambush and the actor already wearing a bullet proof vest, armed himself with his AK-47, a rifle, and one if not two handguns and a stockpile of ammunition, and just waited for the police officers to arrive at the residence. Poplawski is being charged with 3 counts of criminal homicide, 9 counts of attempted homicide, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and firearms violations.

Officer Eric Kelly is survived by his wife Marina and three daughters; Timyka, Autumn and Janel, his mother and a sister. Officer Paul Sciullo II is survived by his parents, two sisters and his fiancee, he was engaged to be married soon. Officer Stephen Mayhle is survived by his wife Chandra and two daughters; Jennifer and Brooklyn, his parents and two brothers.

Please keep these brave fallen warriors in your prayers, Also hearts and prayers go out to the fallen officers’ immediate families, as well as their large law enforcement family….the City of Pittsburgh police. Prayers go out for a speedy recovery for Officers McManaway and Jones.