Man Taken Into Custody After 4-Hour Pitcairn Standoff
PITCAIRN (KDKA)- A man is in custody after a lengthy standoff in Pitcairn.
Police went to the home in the 700-block of Ninth Street around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday to serve a warrant to Robert Wateska.
He was wanted on warrants for terroristic threats in North Huntingdon.
Officers say Wateska ran back into the house after acknowledging he was wanted on the warrants.
"Suspect just stated that he's not going away this time," said Pitcairn Police Chief Scott Farally.
Officers on the scene contacted the chief, who in turn contacted Allegheny County Police. At that time, the SWAT team was dispatched to the scene.
"They actually arrived on scene with negotiators. They used cell phones and were able to make contact with the suspect, spoke to him, suspect stated he was coming out, he surrendered peacefully. It ended well," said Farally.
Wateska was taken into custody around 2 a.m. and was transferred to the Monroeville Police Department.
He was picked up by officials from Westmoreland County around 4:30 a.m. and taken back to North Huntingdon to face the terroristic threat charges.
Neighbors said the standoff scene looked like a warzone.
"We were watching TV. Then, heard all kinds of noise, looked out the window and police were here. They were surrounding the whole block here," Mike Strejcek said.
KDKA's Amy Wadas spoke to Wateska's close friend. She says Wateska's older brother owes Wateska $17,000.
Police say the brothers have been fighting over their deceased parents' estate. Authorities say Wateska's brother called North Huntington Police and told them Wateska threatened to shoot him at work.
"He thought it was unfair. He said he didn't threaten anybody," Maria Lorito said. "To be on the telephone fighting and call police and falsely say he's threatening his life with guns and doesn't even owe them."
Wateska called KDKA-TV during the standoff and claimed that his brother is trying to get even with him because he knows police officers.
He claimed that this was the second time the SWAT team has been called to his home.
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