Yet it goes on. Pittsburgh, PA. Three officers shot to death.

**CTR man** · 04-04-09, 12:48 PM

E-man, you out there? This is your neighborhood. Anybody know anything about this?

Pittsburgh police official says 3 officers dead in shooting; friends he feared Obama gun ban

also

Pittsburgh police official says 3 officers dead in shooting; friends he feared Obama gun ban -- chicagotribune.com

Updated: 10:18 a.m.

Pittsburgh police official says 3 officers dead in shooting; friends he feared Obama gun ban

RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI |Associated Press Writer10:18 AM CDT, April 4, 2009 PITTSBURGH (AP) — A man opened fire on officers during a domestic disturbance call Saturday morning, killing three of them, a police official said. Friends said he feared the Obama administration was poised to ban guns.

Three officers were killed, said a police official at the scene who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Police spokeswoman Diane Richard would only say that at least five officers were wounded, but wouldn't give any other details.

The man who fired at the officers was arrested after a several-hour standoff. One witness reported hearing hundreds of shots.

The shootings occurred just two weeks after four police officers March 21 in Oakland, Calif., in the deadliest day for U.S. law enforcement since Sept. 11, 2001.

Police did not immediately release the gunman's identity, but his friends at the scene described him as a young man who thought the Obama administration would ban guns.

One friend, Edward Perkovic, said the gunman feared "the Obama gun ban that's on the way" and "didn't like our rights being infringed upon." Another longtime friend, Aaron Vire, said he feared that President Obama was going to take away his rights, though he said he "wasn't violently against Obama."

Perkovic, a 22-year-old who said he was the gunman's best friend, said he got a call at work from him in which he said, "Eddie, I am going to die today. ... Tell your family I love them and I love you."

Perkovic said: "I heard gunshots and he hung up. ... He sounded like he was in pain, like he got shot."

Vire, 23, said the gunman once had an Internet talk show but that it wasn't successful. Vire said his friend had an AK-47 rifle and several powerful handguns, including a .357 Magnum.

The officers were called to the home in the Stanton Heights neighborhood at about 7 a.m., Richard said.

Tom Moffitt, 51, a city firefighter who lives two blocks away, said he heard about the shooting on his scanner and came to the scene, where he heard "hundreds, just hundreds of shots. And not just once — several times."

Rob Gift, 45, who lives a block away, said he heard rapid gunfire as he was letting his dog out.

He said the neighborhood of well-kept single-family houses and manicured lawns is home to many police officers, firefighters, paramedics and other city workers.

"It's just a very quiet neighborhood," Gift said.

**gopherpuckfan** · 04-04-09, 12:50 PM

FOXNews.com - Pittsburgh Shooter Kills Three Officers, Reportedly Feared Gun Ban - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News

Pittsburgh Shooter Kills Three Officers, Reportedly Feared Gun Ban

Saturday , April 04, 2009

PITTSBURGH —
A man opened fire on officers during a domestic disturbance call Saturday morning, killing three of them, a police official said. Friends said he feared the Obama administration was poised to ban guns.

Three officers were killed, said a police official at the scene who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Police spokeswoman Diane Richard would only say that at least five officers were wounded, but wouldn't give any other details.
The man who fired at the officers was arrested after a several-hour standoff. One witness reported hearing hundreds of shots.
The shootings occurred just two weeks after four police officers March 21 in Oakland, Calif., in the deadliest day for U.S. law enforcement since Sept. 11, 2001.
Police did not immediately release the gunman's identity, but his friends at the scene described him as a young man who thought the Obama administration would ban guns.
One friend, Edward Perkovic, said the gunman feared "the Obama gun ban that's on the way" and "didn't like our rights being infringed upon." Another longtime friend, Aaron Vire, said he feared that President Obama was going to take away his rights, though he said he "wasn't violently against Obama."
Perkovic, a 22-year-old who said he was the gunman's best friend, said he got a call at work from him in which he said, "Eddie, I am going to die today. ... Tell your family I love them and I love you."
Perkovic said: "I heard gunshots and he hung up. ... He sounded like he was in pain, like he got shot."
Vire, 23, said the gunman once had an Internet talk show but that it wasn't successful. Vire said his friend had an AK-47 rifle and several powerful handguns, including a .357 Magnum.
The officers were called to the home in the Stanton Heights neighborhood at about 7 a.m., Richard said.
Tom Moffitt, 51, a city firefighter who lives two blocks away, said he heard about the shooting on his scanner and came to the scene, where he heard "hundreds, just hundreds of shots. And not just once — several times."
Rob Gift, 45, who lives a block away, said he heard rapid gunfire as he was letting his dog out.
He said the neighborhood of well-kept single-family houses and manicured lawns is home to many police officers, firefighters, paramedics and other city workers.
"It's just a very quiet neighborhood," Gift said.

**lewisipso** · 04-04-09, 01:20 PM

Threads merged.

**jmur5074** · 04-04-09, 01:39 PM

Hm..dangerous times.

Stay safe.

**GASheepdog** · 04-04-09, 02:06 PM

Condolences to the officers' families and to brothers and sisters in Pittsburgh PD.

Stay safe everyone.

**E-man** · 04-04-09, 02:14 PM

I did know 1 of the 3. I went to the academy with one. Very nice guy, always nice with nothing rude to say.
I left there almost 4 1/2 yrs ago but see the guys all the time in court downtown, just saw him 2 weeks ago

This sucks

**E-man** · 04-04-09, 02:16 PM

Thanks for the well wishes...It is a good neighborhood, since city employees must live in the city, it is a well stocked area.
ANd it was shift change so the guys killed I believe were held over from night turn to go there, daylight wasnt ready yet.

**BigDawg** · 04-04-09, 02:18 PM

RIP my Brothers

**Jenna** · 04-04-09, 02:34 PM

Condolences, E-man. May the officers rest in peace.

**Morris** · 04-04-09, 06:31 PM

I wrote this in another board . . .
------------In another thread, I posted that mass killings to include cops would happen again.

Little did I know it would be less than 24 hours after I posted that it would come to fruition again.

What we have is a society no more fragile than in the past. However, unlike in the past, cops are expendible, the bad guys and a means to an end (media, books, rap songs about you, etc.). We have more trigger happy, violence loving souls willing to pull the trigger, especially against cops.

It is time for ALL of us in the business to make it clear to citizens that when we respond, we respond as WE see fit, based upon past practices and threats and mindful that any call, any stop, any event may erupt into homicidal violence against us. Toting a rifle to a call and it scares you? TOO FRACKIN BAD. Don't like our tone of voice or manner in which we respond to high incident calls? TOO FRACKIN BAD. Does this mean we need to militarize? NO! What we need to do is hold our command staff and city, town or county councils accountable for a lack of training, demand training, spend 52" plasma TV screen dollars for training on our own. No longer can ANY cop in our country, or in any part of the first world, simply say "nothing ever happens."

Peace to the citizens of Pennsylvania and to the officers and staff of the Pittsburgh PD.
-------------------

**Willowdared** · 04-04-09, 06:36 PM

Thoughts and prayers to all.

**Hannibal** · 04-04-09, 07:36 PM

RIP. My thoughts and prayers go out the friends and family touched by this loss.

E-Man, hang in there brother.

**Donut Aficionado** · 04-04-09, 08:01 PM

R.I.P. Brothers.

So this pin head felt the best way to combat a new AWB is to kill three Cops?!! If only natural selection would have fixed this before it came to the loss of life of these fine Officers.

**kjlaw** · 04-04-09, 08:38 PM

Rest easy my brothers

**2 Blue 4 U** · 04-04-09, 08:39 PM

Terrible, My Condolences to the Friends & Family, both blood and blue, of the Fallen and the Department for their loss. Thoughts and Well Wishes for a Full & Speedy Recovery to the wounded Officers.

**mg32** · 04-04-09, 08:43 PM

RIP. Prayers for the families of all involved.

**irishmick** · 04-04-09, 09:10 PM

Rest in peace, guys. Hang in there E-man...prayers for all involved.

**Wolven** · 04-04-09, 09:18 PM

RIP Brothers

Not good....so damn sad.

**CTR man** · 04-04-09, 11:06 PM

The deceased and injured officers names have been released.

Officer Stephen Mayhle, Pittsburgh Police Department 2 yr veteran.

Officer Paul Sciullo III, Pittsburgh Police Department 2 yr veteran.

Officer Eric Kelly, Pittsburgh Police Department 14 yr veteran.

The injured are:

Timothy McMannaway 15 yr veteran, shot in the hand.

Brian Jones, breaks his leg while trying to climb a fence.

**cwtlady** · 04-04-09, 11:55 PM

Originally Posted by CTR man

The deceased and injured officers names have been released.

Officer Stephen Mayhle, Pittsburgh Police Department 2 yr veteran.

Officer Paul Sciullo III, Pittsburgh Police Department 2 yr veteran.

Officer Eric Kelly, Pittsburgh Police Department 14 yr veteran.

The injured are:

Timothy McMannaway 15 yr veteran, shot in the hand.

Brian Jones, breaks his leg while trying to climb a fence.

Condolences to the family and friends of Officer Mayhle, Officer Sciullo, and Officer Kelly.

Prayers for a quick and full recovery for Officer McMannaway and Officer Jones.

Additional prayers for all Law Enforcement Officers everywhere, may you be safe as you go about your shift.