MT. OLIVER, Pa — A man is in custody after a police officer, a woman and a man were shot in Knoxville and Mount Oliver early Saturday morning.
According to Pittsburgh police, crews responded to the 300 block of Brownsville Road in Knoxville for a report of a 25-year-old woman shot in the leg around 5:25 a.m.
When police arrived on scene, a foot pursuit ensued with a man in the 400 block of Brownsville Road in Mount Oliver. The suspect, later identified as 21-year-old Julian Reese-Krasausky of Pittsburgh’s Elliott neighborhood by Allegheny County police, fired a shot and hit an officer in the vest. According to investigators, the officer who was shot was walking by his church at the time of the shooting and noticed the suspect. The suspect then shot the officer, and the officer said, “You just shot me,” to which the suspect allegedly responded, “Sorry, bro.”
Allegheny County police said Reese-Krasausky had a privately manufactured firearm on him when he was taken into custody.
Police said Reese-Krasausky was arrested and taken to the hospital for a gunshot wound to the left shoulder, although it was unclear where it happened. Police said the initial investigation shows no responding officers fired their weapons.
According to Allegheny County police, an initial assault occurred at the intersection of Bausman Street and Ibis Way, just outside the entrance of an after-hours club named “The Lobby.”
The woman and a 57-year-old man were both shot in the leg during that assault. Allegheny County police said evidence suggested Reese-Krasausky was also shot in an exchange at the club before police arrived.
The police officer who was shot at was taken to a hospital for evaluation. The woman and man were also taken to a hospital and are in stable condition. Reese-Krasausky is being treated and is in stable condition.
All three of them will be OK, and Monday, Mayor Ed Gainey gave Channel 11 an update on how the officer is doing.
“It’s a blessing. We’ve been texting this morning. He’s doing well. We’re praying for him,” Gainey said.
Pittsburgh Police Chief Scott Schubert acknowledged the danger of the situation that this incident brought to his officers and to the residents of the city.
“I’m both saddened and angry that we as a Bureau were reminded last night of the inherent risks of the profession as officers work to take violent individuals off the streets. We are grateful that our officer is out of the hospital and doing well following this traumatic experience. There is no question that his ballistic vest saved his life. The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and its peer support team will ensure that he and his family receive all of the assistance they require. These incidents underscore the urgency we all feel to continue addressing the underlying causes of this increased violence. In the meantime, our officers will not waver in their commitment to keep Pittsburgh’s communities safe and peaceful, answering 911 calls without hesitation,” said Schubert.
How this shooting was announced to the department prompted another officer to confront Public Safety Director Lee Schmidt and write an internal memo to the Zone 3 commander.
The confrontation happened at Gainey’s inauguration party on Saturday night.
The officer who wrote the memo said that the officer who was shot was one of his longtime friends.
He went to the gala to talk to Schmidt about what he calls the “mishandling of the shooting in terms of notifying the department.”
He said in part, “I referenced what I believe to be the mishandling of the recent shooting of an officer on behalf of the public safety department. I voiced my concern on a lack of a formal, prompt statement denouncing the violence that almost took the life of a fellow officer and friend.”
Channel 11 reached out to the city and police department to find out when and how officers were notified of the shooting, but neither had a comment.
Chief Scott Schubert apologized to officers for not providing more timely information about the officer shot on Monday evening.
In an internal memo obtained by Target 11, Schubert told officers:
“I take responsibility for the lack of internal communication and will work with others in the bureau to ensure that there is a protocol in place to make sure that this doesn’t occur again.”
No additional suspects have been identified at this time. The investigation into the club shooting is ongoing.
Allegheny County Homicide is investigating.
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