Johnathan Morris, man accused of killing Officer Sean Sluganski, allegedly involved in previous violent incidents
MCKEESPORT, Pa, (KDKA) — The man accused of killing a McKeesport police officer and injuring another allegedly made a threatening phone call to an out-of-state bank last month.
Johnathan Morris was released from the hospital and taken to jail on Thursday. He faces a list of charges in connection with the shooting death of Officer Sean Sluganski and the shooting of Officer Charles Thomas.
KDKA-TV has learned that in the weeks preceding Monday's shooting, Morris was already on the McKeesport Police Department's radar.
According to Allegheny County 911 dispatch transmission, the enraged 31-year-old Morris called an Escambia County, Florida financial institution on Jan. 13 and made threats over the phone, saying he was going on a "killing spree."
McKeesport officers at the address where Morris' mother lived minutes later asked dispatch more about the man they were looking for.
McKeesport police: "County, any prior to that address on Wilson (Street)?"
Dispatch: "That's a negative."
Allegheny County dispatch received another call on Feb. 5 regarding gunshots fired at a Uni-Mart in McKeesport after a man allegedly became angry inside the store.
Investigators believe the man who opened fire was Morris. No one was injured in that incident, which happened one day before Morris allegedly shot the officers.