Commissioner suspected in accidental shooting at Ross Township bar

ROSS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A Ross Township commissioner is at the center of a multi-agency investigation.

Commissioner Pat Mullin is accused of accidentally firing a gun inside a bar, injuring one person, sources confirmed.

Police were called and the window was boarded up, but charges were never filed.

Mullin ignored Channel 11′s questions as he walked into this week’s board meeting.

Because he didn’t respond, we tried to get answers from Ross Township’s President Commissioner, Dan DeMarco as he was leaving the board meeting.

Once we got into the lobby area, DeMarco insisted that he had no information about Commissioner Mulling firing an accidental gunshot.

There are not only unanswered questions about what exactly happened at The Grove, but also who is investigating it.

Last week, Ross’ deputy police chief told Channel 11 that his department was investigating the shooting and a spokesperson with the DA’s office said they are assisting Ross in that investigation.

Legal analyst Blaine Jones was surprised to hear Ross’ police department is investigating its own commissioner.

“If I were advising the police department, I would say you have to back up off of this one and you want to refer this out because we don’t want any appearance of impropriety,” Jones said.

Things took a confusing turn on Thursday when DeMarco said over email that Allegheny County police are now investigating the incident.

Channel 11 asked Allegheny County police, and a spokesperson said they are not investigating.

Meaning it’s unclear which, if any, agencies are actually looking into the shooting.

As for Mullin, Jones thinks there’s a strong possibility that he could be charged.

“There’s a crime and it’s called discharging a firearm in an occupied structure. And that can be charged as a felony three if it’s deemed reckless,” Jones said.

And if he isn’t — Jones says there should be an explanation.

“At the end of the day, in this community, if the commissioner is not charged, I do think that law enforcement probably has to make a statement or have a press conference and say this went into our decision-making process,” Jones said.

We also reached out to Ross Township’s manager, and he said he did not have a comment.

The Ross Township police chief said an outside agency is investigating, but wouldn’t say which one.

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