Charges dropped against 3 people in bar fight involving Pittsburgh police detective

PITTSBURGH — Charges against three people were dropped Tuesday related to a bar fight involving a Pittsburgh police detective.

Target 11′s Rick Earle has learned the detective, who was off duty at the time, was put on paid administrative leave.

At a Brookline bar back in October, the detective said she was attacked by a woman who was upset for investigating her son. The fight spilled outside and court documents said the woman’s husband and daughter got involved.

All three people were charged. Court papers indicated the fight was caught on the bar’s surveillance cameras.

Attorney Joe Horowitz represents one of the defendants. He said the whole situation did not go down like the detective claimed.

“She was sitting in the bar minding her own business and this officer came in. And they did fight, but she was getting her leg bit and trying to get someone off her. And the next thing you know, she’s charged with felonies. So pretty harsh,” Horowitz said.

A spokesperson for the District Attorney’s Office would only say the charges were withdrawn after consulting with the victim’s attorney and with consent of the victim.

Sources told Target 11 that after the fight, the off-duty detective admitted to a substance abuse problem and was put on leave.

A spokesperson for the Department of Public Safety said an internal investigation into the matter is still ongoing.

The off-duty detective does have an attorney. He told Target 11 his client was the actual victim in the whole situation and suggested charges could be refiled.

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