Dispatch: Investigation underway after multiple shots fired at police in Beaver County
STAY RIGHT THERE. THE NEWS AT SIX WITH KELLY AND MIKE STARTS RIGHT NOW. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR AT SIX STARTS NOW. WE START WITH THAT STARTLING SCENE UNFOLDING ON THE ALLEGHENY RIVER. POLICE TAKING A SUSPECT INTO CUSTODY AFTER A POLICE CHASE IN THE CITY WITH AN HOURS LONG STANDOFF ON THE FROZEN RIVER. THANKS FOR JOINING US AT SIX. I’M MIKE CLARK. I’M KELLY SASSO. WE WANT TO GO RIGHT OUT TO PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER FELICITY TAYLOR, WHO IS IN HOMER TOWNSHIP TONIGHT IN FELICITY. YOU FOUND OUT FROM POLICE EXACTLY WHY THEY WERE AFTER THIS MAN. YEAH. KELLY, POLICE TOLD ME THAT OVERALL, THIS GUY WENT SIX MILES BEFORE THEY TOOK HIM INTO CUSTODY. THEY SAY THIS STARTED JUST BEFORE 1:00 THIS AFTERNOON WHEN THEY GOT A 911 CALL ABOUT THIS GENTLEMAN TRESPASSING AT THE OLD V.A. HOSPITAL SITE ON HIGHLAND DRIVE IN THE CITY’S NEIGHBORHOOD. THEY SAY ONCE THEY TRIED TO GET THERE, THE GUY RAN INTO THE WOODS AND HE RAN IN THE WOODS FOR A LITTLE BIT UNTIL HE GOT ON THE RIVER. NOW, I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOME OF THAT SKY 4 VIDEO THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. HE GOT ON THE ALLEGHENY RIVER. THEY SAY, RIGHT ABOUT AT THE ALLEGHENY RIVER BOULEVARD. AND NADINE INTERSECTION THAT’S IN VERONA. AND POLICE SAY HE WALKED ON THE RIVER FOR OVER THREE HOURS ALTOGETHER AND AGAIN WENT OVER SIX MILES DURING THIS SLOW SPEED CHASE. THEY SAY THEY WERE ESSENTIALLY FOLLOWING HIM ALONG AS HE WALKED ALONG THE RIVER AND WERE TRYING TO LET HIM TURN HIMSELF IN AND OFFER HIM AID IN THIS NEXT VIDEO SHOWS THAT AID WHERE THEY THROW HIM A LIFE JACKET FROM SHORE AND HE TAKES IT. THEN POLICE SAY HE WENT UP DEER CREEK AND THAT’S WHERE HE FINALLY GAVE UP. IT’S KIND OF BEHIND THE TACO BELL HERE ON FREEPORT ROAD IN PALMER TOWNSHIP. AND THAT’S WHERE THEY SAY HE WAS HANDCUFFED AND TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. VIDEO FROM SKY 4 AGAIN SEES HIM WHEN HE IS PUT INTO A RESCUE BOAT. AND THEN EMS DRAGS THAT BOAT BACK DOWN ONTO THE ALLEGHENY RIVER AND THEN UP A BOAT RAMP, WHERE HE WAS PUT INTO AN OAKMONT FIRE DEPARTMENT VEHICLE IN HANDCUFFS. NOW, FIRST RESPONDERS SET UP THEIR OPERATION FINALLY OFF OF FREEPORT ROAD, RIGHT NEXT TO SUNBELT RENTALS, AND WE TALKED TO ONE PERSON WHO WAS WORKING THERE AT THE TIME, AND HE TOLD US WHAT HE SAW. I SAW THE POLICE OBVIOUSLY HEARD THE HELICOPTER ABOVE, AND THEN IT KIND OF FLOODED PRETTY QUICK. WE WENT OUT BACK AND WE SAW THE RESCUE TEAM, AND THEN WE REALIZED THAT THEY HAD GOT HIM. POLICE SAY HE WAS TAKEN FROM THE RIVER TO THE HOSPITAL IN STABLE CONDITION, WHERE HE IS BEING EVALUATED, AND THEN HE WILL BE TAKEN TO JAIL. CHARGES ARE PENDING. WE’RE HEARING THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE CHARGES WOULD LIKELY BE TRESPASSING FOR BEING INSIDE THE OLD V.A. HOSPITAL. AND AS SOON AS WE GET THOSE CHARGES AND MORE INFORMATION, WE’LL BE SURE TO PASS THAT ALONG. COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY. IN HOMER TOWNSHIP, I’M FELICITY TAYLOR, PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. FELICITY, THANKS FOR THE UPDATE AND MORE BREAKING NEWS TONIGHT. A SHOOTING INVOLVING POLICE IN AN ALLEGHENY COUNTY COMMUNITY. THAT’S RIGHT. POLICE SAY THIS STARTED WHEN A RESIDENT OF THE PENN CENTER COMPLEX IN WILKINS TOWNSHIP THREATENED A MAINTENANCE WORKER. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER MARCIE CIPRIANI HAS THE LATEST ON THE INVESTIGATION. ALLEGHENY COUNTY POLICE SUPERINTENDENT CHRIS KEARNS TELLS ME WHILE THIS SHOOTING HAPPENED IN WILKINS TOWNSHIP, THE OFFICERS INVOLVED ARE CHURCHILL POLICE OFFICERS. HE SAYS ONE FIRED A NON-LETHAL ROUND, THEN TWO OTHERS FIRED THEIR SERVICE WEAPONS. BUT KEARNS SAYS THERE IS PROOF THAT THE MAN THEY WERE TRYING TO TAKE INTO CUSTODY FIRED AT THEM AS WELL. LET ME SHOW YOU. VIDEO FROM THE SCENE CAPTURED BY RESIDENTS IN THE PENN CENTER APARTMENT BUILDING. THIS IS WHERE POLICE SAY THE SHOOTING TOOK PLACE NEAR THOSE GARAGES AROUND NOON. KEARNS SAYS THIS STARTED WHEN A RESIDENT THREATENED A MAINTENANCE WORKER, WHICH TURNED INTO A PHYSICAL FIGHT. THE WITNESS WHO TOOK THIS VIDEO SAYS SHE HEARD IT ALL PLAY OUT WHILE SHE WAS WALKING HER DOG. I HEARD TWO GUYS KIND OF GOING BACK AND FORTH AND IT STARTED TO ESCALATE. I HEARD SCUFFLING, MY DOG STARTED BARKING, SO I GOT NERVOUS. SO I WENT TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BUILDING AND USED THE STAIRWELL UP THERE. AND THAT’S WHEN I TOLD MY HUSBAND THAT I HEARD, I THINK, A FIGHT. AND SO HE WENT TO GO CHECK, BUT HE DIDN’T SEE OR HEAR ANYBODY IN THE STAIRWELL. AND THEN ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER, WE HEARD A SERIES OF GUNSHOTS GO OFF. MADDIE MCLAUGHLIN AND HER HUSBAND, DREW, SAY THEY HEARD 4 TO 5 SHOTS AND THEN STARTED RECORDING THIS. THOSE SHOTS, CURRENT SAY, CAME FIRST FROM THE CHURCHILL OFFICER FIRING A NON-LETHAL ROUND, FOLLOWED BY THE SUSPECT FIRING BACK. THERE’S BALLISTIC EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THAT HE DID FIRE ONE ROUND AT THE SCENE, THEN TWO MORE CHURCHILL OFFICERS FIRING THEIR WEAPONS, HITTING THE MAN SEVERAL TIMES. KEARNS SAYS THE SUSPECT IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION AND THEY ARE REVIEWING BODY CAM VIDEO AND INTERVIEWING WITNESSES. AND THEN THEY WILL TAKE THOSE FINDINGS TO THE D.A. COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY FROM THE CHURCHILL POLICE DEPARTMENT. MARCIE CIPRIANI PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. MARCY, THANK YOU. AND ALSO BREAKING THIS EVENING, ALLEGHENY COUNTY POLICE CONFIRM A CHILD DIED AT A HOME THIS AFTERNOON IN HARRISON TOWNSHIP. THEY WERE CALLED TO PINE STREET IN THE NATRONA NEIGHBORHOOD THIS AFTERNOON. THEY HAVE NOT GIVEN ANY OTHER DETAILS ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES, EVEN THE NAME OF THE CHILD. THEY ARE ONLY SAYING THIS INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING. AND ALSO BREAKING RIGHT NOW, A MAN WAS FOUND DEAD AS CREWS BATTLED A HOUSE FIRE IN WEST DEER TOWNSHIP. ALLEGHENY COUNTY OFFICIALS THERE SAY THERE WAS AMMUNITION GOING OFF DURING THEIR FIREFIGHT. WE SPOKE WITH A NEIGHBOR ABOUT THIS LOSS. HE WAS A NICE GUY. HE LIVED BY HIMSELF, A LITTLE BIT OF A LONER, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A UNIQUE, UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL, BUT AS NICE AS COULD BE, IT’S TERRIBLE. IT’S A TRAGEDY TO HEAR OF HIS PASSING TODAY. NOW, THAT VICTIM HAS NOT BEEN NAMED YET. THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL IS NOW INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE. RIGHT NOW, WE WANT TO TURN TO PITTSBURGH’S ACTION. WHETHER AN IMPACT DAY TODAY FOR THE LOW TEMPS, BUT POSSIBLY RECORD COLD IS NOW ON ITS WAY, MAKING FRIDAY AND SATURDAY SEVERE WEATHER ALERT DAYS. IT’S GOING TO GET EVEN COLDER SOMEHOW. METEOROLOGIST BRIAN HUTTON JUNIOR IS HERE WITH THE CERTIFIED MOST ACCURATE FORECAST. AND WHEN YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT THESE LOW TEMPS, THAT’S NOT THE FEELS LIKE TEMPERATURE, RIGHT? THAT’S THE ACTUAL AIR TEMPERATURE. YEAH. IT’S BREAKING RECORDS A RECORD FRIDAY AND SATURDAY MORNING IS MINUS FIVE. THAT WAS SET BACK IN 2019. WE’RE EXPECTING TO GET BELOW THAT AS WE HEAD INTO THE WEEKEND. AND SO FRIDAY AND SATURDAY ARE SEVERE WEATHER ALERT DAYS BECAUSE OF THAT CHANCE FOR AN IMPACT DAY TOMORROW AS WE STAY COLD. BUT AGAIN, RECORD BREAKING COLD IS POSSIBLE FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, FORECASTING A LOW OF SEVEN BELOW ZERO FRIDAY, EIGHT BELOW ON SATURDAY. AGAIN, THIS IS AIR TEMPERATURE, NOT WIND CHILL. SO DANGEROUS. COLD AND RECORD BREAKING COLD LOOKS LIKELY AS WE HEAD INTO THE WEEKEND. WE ALL HAVE A COLD WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR US TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW MORNING, AS WIND CHILLS WILL LIKELY BE BETWEEN ABOUT EIGHT AND 15 DEGREES BELOW ZERO TO START. TEMPERATURES ARE BACKING OFF NORTH OF THE CITY. WE ARE ALREADY INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS, AND WIND CHILLS ARE ALSO SUBZERO NORTH AND EAST OF PITTSBURGH AS WELL. AND THAT TREND WILL CONTINUE AS WE CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. TONIGHT. A COLD START TOMORROW. RECORD COLD FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. THEN WE START HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ON SUNDAY AFTER ONE MORE VERY COLD START, TEMPERATURES WILL PUSH 30 NEXT WEEK. I’LL SHOW YOU WHEN THAT’S MOST LIKELY. THAT’S WITH YOUR COMPLETE 4-DAY PLUS 4 MORE. ALL RIGHT BRIAN, THANKS. RIGHT NOW, SNOW REMOVAL EFFORTS ARE NOW FOCUSED ON TERTIARY ROADS AND ALLEYS IN THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH. AS WE’RE NOW ABOUT THREE DAYS REMOVED FROM THE MAJOR SNOWSTORM OVER THE WEEKEND, MAYOR COREY O’CONNOR SAYS THERE WILL BE 47 PUBLIC WORKS VEHICLES OUT FOR THE LATE SHIFT TONIGHT, WITH DOZENS OF CONTRACTORS ALSO ALSO CONTINUING TO ASSIST. NOW IT’S TRYING TO FILL IN THOSE GAPS LIKE WE’VE BEEN DOING ALL DAY. AND, YOU KNOW, PLEASE TAKE CALL 311. AND YOU KNOW, THEY’RE DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB AS WELL. THEY’RE OVERWHELMED WITH A LOT OF CALLS. AND YOU KNOW WE’RE SEEING WHERE THE GAPS ARE NOW. IT’S JUST TRYING TO GET OUR YOU KNOW UTILITY OUR DPW WORKERS TO THOSE SITES. MAYOR O’CONNOR SAYS CREWS ARE SEEING A LOT OF ICE BUILDUP AND THEY’RE TRYING TO GET THOSE AREAS SALTED AS QUICKLY AS THEY CAN. RECYCLING COLLECTION ALSO HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR THE WEEK. ALSO NEW AT SIX PITTSBURGH REGIONAL TRANSIT SAYS IT IS DEPLOYING A FLEET OF SNOW PLOWS IN DUMP TRUCKS TONIGHT TO CLEAR SNOW FROM PROBLEM AREAS. THOSE INCLUDE BON AIR, BROOKLINE, HILL DISTRICT, THE NORTH SIDE, GREENFIELD, HOMEWOOD, LINCOLN PARK, POLISH HILL, AND FINEVIEW. THEY’RE DOING THIS WITH THE HOPES OF RETURNING TO FULL SERVICE SOON. PRT SAYS THEY’RE ALSO GOING TO CONCENTRATE ON THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT TOMORROW, MAKING SURE ALL BUS STOPS ARE CLEARED. A LACK OF ROAD SALT. ALSO A CONTINUED CONCERN IN THE SOUTH HILLS TONIGHT. OFFICIALS THERE STILL DEALING WITH A SHORTAGE DUE TO ICY RIVERS. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER CHANDI CHAPMAN IS IN CARNEGIE TONIGHT WITH HOW THEY HAVE BEEN MANAGING THE CLEANUP OF THIS RECENT SNOW. I’M HERE AT THE CARNEGIE MUNICIPAL BUILDING, WHERE THE UPSTAIRS IS ACTUALLY A 24 HOUR WARMING CENTER FOR THE PUBLIC. NOW, TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO DROP, MAKING THAT SNOW CLEANUP EVEN TOUGHER, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE’S A SALT SHORTAGE. THE BIG SNOWSTORM IS GONE, BUT THE COLD WEATHER IS NOT. WITH TEMPERATURES DROPPING IN THE COMING DAYS, CARNEGIE IS STILL CLEANING UP AND WAITING FOR MORE ROCK SALT WITH THE SNOW WE HAD OVER THE WEEKEND. WE’RE DEFINITELY STILL IN CLEANUP MODE, SO WE JUST ASKED THAT FOLKS STILL BE PATIENT WITH US. SOME OF OUR SIDE STREETS ARE SOME OF THE AREAS THAT WE STILL NEED TO FOCUS ON, SO WE’RE JUST DOING THE BEST WE CAN TO KEEP UP. CARNEGIE IS PART OF A PURCHASING CO-OP CALLED THE SOUTH HILLS AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS THAT BUYS AND SHARES THE SALT SUPPLY. PATRICK CONNORS, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, O’SHEA, SAYS THERE ARE 23 MEMBERS AND THE SALT SHORTAGE IS AFFECTING 99 COMMUNITIES. HE SAYS RIGHT NOW, FIVE BARGES OF SALT ARE NOW ALONG THE RIVER, WITH MORE HEADED TO OUR REGION. SO WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE’S ABOUT 26,000 TONS OF SALT THAT’S ON ITS WAY FROM LOUISIANA TO THE PITTSBURGH REGION. NOW, THAT’S, YOU KNOW, OVER A DOZEN BARGES, AND THOSE BARGES CAN TAKE UP TO FIVE WEEKS IN A PERFECT CONDITION. CREWS HAVE UNLOADED SOME BARGES, BUT THE ICY RIVER IS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO UNLOAD ALL OF THE BARGES OF SALT, LEAVING MUNICIPALITIES WAITING FOR MORE SALT TO COVER THE ROADS. WE’RE DEFINITELY BEHIND, BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL. AS FAR AS WHAT THE COMMUNITIES HAVE REQUESTED AND WHAT’S BEING DELIVERED. THEY’VE UNLOADED ONE BARGE YESTERDAY, AND THEY’RE IN THE PROCESS OF UNLOADING TWO BARGES TODAY. SO THAT’S ABOUT 4500 TONS OF SALT WITH THOSE THREE BARGES THAT, YOU KNOW, ABOUT 1500 TONS A DAY CAN BE DISTRIBUTED WITH THE TRUCK SYSTEM TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE PITTSBURGH REGION. NOW, WE’LL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON WHEN THAT FULL SHIPMENT SHOULD ARRIVE, COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY IN CARNEGIE CHANDI CHAPMAN PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. PITTSBURGH CITY COUNCIL PUTS MAYOR COREY O’CONNOR’S PICKS FOR POLICE CHIEF AND PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR ON THE HOT SEAT TONIGHT. THE TWO WERE INTERVIEWED TODAY UNDER OATH BEFORE AN OFFICIAL VOTE ON THEIR NOMINATIONS. THIS NEW RULE COMES AFTER THE CONTROVERSY INVOLVING FORMER POLICE CHIEF LARRY SCIROTTO ACTING POLICE CHIEF JASON LANDO BEGAN BY ADDRESSING A RECENT INVESTIGATION. AS WE REPORTED, HE WAS ACCUSED OF MISCONDUCT BY ONE OF HIS FORMER OFFICERS WHILE HE WAS LEADING THE FORCE IN FREDERICK, MARYLAND. AFTER HOLDING THAT OFFICER ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR WHILE HE WAS STILL EMPLOYED WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. I ULTIMATELY RESPONDED TO THIS FORMER OFFICER IN A WAY THAT IS OUT OF CHARACTER FOR ME. AS YOU ARE AWARE, I WAS CLEARED OF WRONGDOING AND THE MATTER HAS BEEN CLOSED, BUT I STILL FELT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS THAT HERE TODAY, THAT LANDO WAS ASKED A SLEW OF QUESTIONS ABOUT OFFICER MENTAL HEALTH AND YOUTH PROGRAMS, WAS ALSO ASKED ABOUT WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW WITH IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, ESPECIALLY IN THE WAKE OF THOSE ICE AGENTS KILLING TWO U.S. CITIZENS IN MINNESOTA. WE DON’T HAVE AN INTEREST IN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. IF WE WERE TO BE CALLED TO A SCENE DURING A CRISIS SITUATION OR AN EMERGENCY, LIKE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU SEE ON TV, WE HAVE A LEGAL AND A MORAL OBLIGATION TO RESPOND, ASSESS THE SITUATION, AND THEN GET OUT OF THERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. AND SHELDEN WILLIAMS PREVIOUSLY TOLD PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR THAT HE PLANS TO BRING HIS LIFETIME OF SERVICE TO HIS ROLE AS PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR, INCLUDING TACKLING PROBLEMS ALONGSIDE PITTSBURGH RESIDENTS. THIS IS SOMETHING HE ECHOED WHEN IN FRONT OF CITY COUNCIL WHEN ASKED ABOUT APPROACHING COMMUNITY TRUST DURING A TIME WHEN IT IS AT A LOW POINT. I WANT US TO DO THINGS WITH THE COMMUNITY AND I’M GOING TO SEARCH AND FIND THOSE COLLABORATIVE AND COOPERATIVE WAYS, AND IT’S NOT JUST WITH ONE OFF PROGRAMING, LIKE REALLY TRYING TO TO STRATEGIZE WAYS TO STRENGTHEN WHAT WORKS WELL BUT ALSO GROW THESE OPPORTUNITIES, NOT ONLY JUST OUR DUTY IS ALSO HOW WE CARE BECAUSE WE’RE PART OF THE COMMUNITY. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT’S THAT’S EMBRACED AND EMBOLDENED IN WAYS THAT ARE OUR CITIZENS. UNDERSTAND THAT OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS ARE RIGHT THERE BESIDE. WELL, AFTER OVER FOUR HOURS, THE INTERVIEWS HAV
Dispatch: Investigation underway after multiple shots fired at police in Beaver County
Updated: 9:12 PM EST Jan 28, 2026
An investigation is underway after dispatchers said multiple gunshots were fired at police in Beaver County Wednesday night. VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Wednesday County dispatchers told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that multiple shots were fired along Superior Avenue in Aliquippa near the Valley Terrace Apartments. Dispatchers said police told them they were fired upon. No injuries were reported. It is unclear how many people were involved in the incident and if anyone has since been taken into custody. Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 is working to learn more and will provide updates as they are made available. Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.
ALIQUIPPA, Pa. —
An investigation is underway after dispatchers said multiple gunshots were fired at police in Beaver County Wednesday night.
VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Wednesday
County dispatchers told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that multiple shots were fired along Superior Avenue in Aliquippa near the Valley Terrace Apartments.
Dispatchers said police told them they were fired upon. No injuries were reported.
It is unclear how many people were involved in the incident and if anyone has since been taken into custody.
Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 is working to learn more and will provide updates as they are made available.
Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.