Three Killed, Two Injured in Police Shooting

Just one day after gunman Jiverly Wong walked into an immigrant support center in Binghampton, New York, and killed thirteen people, a man holed up in an apartment in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, killed three policemen and wounded another during a standoff. And just like the gunman in Binghampton, the shooter in Pittsburgh wore a bulletproof vest. According to WSYR-TV, Richard Poplawski, 23, was lying in wait at a barricaded home when the police arrived in response to a domestic violence call.

Pittsburgh Police Chief Nathan Harper said that Richard Poplawski was armed with an AK-47, a long rifle, and a pistol. Witnesses said that he fired off at least 100 rounds.

After a three-hour standoff, Richard Poplawski surrendered.

According to CNN, the incident began when officer Paul Sciullo III responded to a domestic dispute call at about 7:05 a.m. Saturday morning. He was shot in the head as he entered the doorway of the home that Poplawski shared with his mother.

Officer Stephen Mahle was also shot in the head when he attempted to help his fallen colleague.

Officer Eric Kelly, who was off duty and on his way home when he responded to the call, would then be fatally shot trying to help his fellow officers.

Two more officers would be wounded in the ensuing standoff. One was shot in the hand. The other broke his leg jumping a fence as he attempted to secure the house from the rear. Police negotiators were later able to persuade Richard Poplawski to surrender.

The Pittsburgh police shooting comes only two weeks after four Oakland Police officers were gunned down. Lovelle Mixon, a parolee that authorities said had also been linked to a rape, shot two police officers when they attempted to make a traffic stop. He then made his way to a relative's apartment and barricaded himself inside. He shot and killed two more police officers before he, too, was killed in the exchange of gunfire. One other officer was wounded.

Just as the Oakland incident was that city's deadliest, the Pittsburgh police shootings were its deadliest as well. It was the first time a police officer had been shot in the line of duty in Pittsburgh since 1995.

Poplawski, according to neighbors, was upset because he had recently lost his job. Some said he was worried that President Obama was going to ban guns. Neighbors also said that police had been called to the Poplawski home several times in the past.

Richard Poplawski stands to be charged with several counts of homicide, aggravated assault, and related offenses, according to Police Chief Harper.

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Sources:

9wsyr.com

CNN.com