Pennsylvania authorities are looking for a suspected gunman accused of shooting and killing a police officer and wounding another near Pittsburgh on Sunday.
State Attorney General Josh Shapiro, the governor-elect, identified the slain officer as Police Chief Justin McIntire.
“Today’s tragedy in Brackenridge is a devastating reminder of the bravery of those who put their lives on the line every day to protect us,” Shapiro said on Twitter. “Police Chief Justin McIntire ran towards danger to keep Pennsylvanians safe—and he made the ultimate sacrifice in service to community.”
“Chief McIntire and his family are in my prayers, as is his fellow officer who was injured in the line of duty tonight,” he continued. “May Chief McIntire’s memory be a blessing.”
Chief McIntire and his family are in my prayers, as is his fellow officer who was injured in the line of duty tonight.
May Chief McIntire’s memory be a blessing.
— Josh Shapiro (@JoshShapiroPA) January 3, 2023
The shootings happened after an hours-long foot pursuit in separate incidents in Brackenridge, an Allegheny County town northeast of Pittsburgh. One shooting happened in the 800 block of 3rd Street, and the second happened on Brackenridge Ave, according to police.
“Two officers were wounded in these encounters. Tragically, one of the officers was struck in the head and died at the scene. The second officer was wounded in the leg and was transported to a local hospital where he is in a stable condition,” police spokesman Christopher Kearns told reporters, KDKA2 reported.
The gunman carjacked a vehicle after the shootings Sunday afternoon and is considered “extremely dangerous,” assistant police Superintendent Victor Joseph told a news briefing reported by KDKA2.
The suspect, Aaron Lamont Swan, 28, from the nearby city of Duquesne, is now being sought by officers from multiple law enforcement agencies.
Kearns told reporters that Swan, known to frequent the Penn Hills area, had been sought for a parole violation involving a weapons charge.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
From The Epoch Times