Man charged with homicide for shooting death of off-duty Oakdale police officer

BLAWNOX, Pa. — A man has been charged with homicide following the shooting death of an off-duty Oakdale police officer in Blawnox late Sunday.

The criminal complaint states that Kevin McSwiggen is charged with shooting and killing 23-year-old Charles G. Stipetich. Stipetich, according to county police, was an off-duty police officer for Oakdale Borough.

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McSwiggen is facing charges of criminal homicide and two counts of recklessly endangering another person.

Blawnox and Allegheny County police responded to the 400 block of Fountain Street just after 10:30 p.m. Sunday, where they found both Stipetich and McSwiggen shot.

Before being taken to the hospital, McSwiggen told police he was involved in a road rage incident along Route 28. He allegedly followed Stipetich to his home on Fountain Street after he believed Stipetich cut him off, according to police paperwork.

The paperwork states that most of what ensued was captured by a video camera mounted on McSwiggen’s dashboard. As Stipetich tried to enter his home, McSwiggen allegedly pulled up behind him, got out of his truck and confronted him.

Documents state that Stipetich’s father came out of the home and the three men began arguing.

According to the criminal complaint, the dashcam video records a gunshot and shows Stipetich lifting up his shirt to check his wound. Police said McSwiggen then pointed his gun at Stipetich’s father. That was when Stipetich pulled a gun from his waistband and shot McSwiggen, the criminal complaint says. McSwiggen is then seen falling to the ground.

Stipetich and McSwiggen were taken to a hospital in critical condition. Stipetich was pronounced dead at the hospital. McSwiggen’s current condition is unknown.

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