Questions surround deadly shootout in Ross Township shopping center parking lot

ROSS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — One person was killed Tuesday after a shootout with police in the parking lot of a McKnight Road shopping center.

Police at the scene told Channel 11's Rick Earle there was a shootout between the suspect and police in the area outside of Big Lots in Ross Township.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office said the name of the shooting victim is Omari Ali Thompson, 31.

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Allegheny County Police said at about 1 p.m. Tuesday, an undercover drug operation was in progress in the parking lot with a narcotics agent from the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office narcotics task force. Police said at 1:07, the first calls went out to 911 for shots fired in the area. At 1:15, police said the subject of the undercover operation, Thompson, was pronounced dead.

The narcotics officer involved was taken to a regional trauma center in stable condition. Police said he was conscious, alert, and with his family.

"The OAG officer involved in today's shooting was shot twice and is in stable condition with no life-threatening injuries. This incident occurred during an operation by our Bureau of Narcotics Investigations. The Attorney General plans to travel to Allegheny County to visit with the officer and his family," a statement from the Attorney General said.

There was a gold SUV in the parking lot that has at least one bullet hole in the driver's window. There are also bullet holes in the windshield of a gray sedan.

Earle spoke to a woman who was in the store at the time. She said she heard the shooting and barricaded herself in a room in the store and moved a refrigerator to block the door.

Police said the Homicide Unit would be conducting an investigation into the shooting and Thompson's death. Following that, the findings would be turned over to the District Attorney for review on the use-of-force.

The shooting happened while dozens of police officers were at the funeral for Pittsburgh police officer Calvin Hall, who was shot and killed last week.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the traffic count for McKnight Road is 38,000. Here is a breakdown by daypart:

2012

• S.R. 4003 (McKnight Road) northbound – 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. = 2,792 vehicles
• S.R. 4003 (McKnight Road) southbound – 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. = 3,148 vehicles
• S.R. 4003 (McKnight Road) northbound – 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. = 5,256 vehicles
• S.R. 4003 (McKnight Road) southbound – 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. = 4,668 vehicles

2016

• S.R. 4003 (McKnight Road) northbound – 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. = 2,388 vehicles
• S.R. 4003 (McKnight Road) southbound – 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. = 6,215 vehicles

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