Suspects in custody after SWAT team called to Pittsburgh neighborhood
HAZELWOOD, Pa. (KDKA) - Two people involved in a street robbery are behind bars after leading police on a pursuit through Pittsburgh and Penn Hills Saturday evening. About an hour and a half went by between the time the robbery took place and the chase ended. No one was seriously hurt.
A Jeep Cherokee with damage to the roof and side got pulled onto a tow truck, bringing a lengthy pursuit to an end.
Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Acting Operations Chief Commander Richard Ford said it started just before 6 p.m. by 2nd and Renova in Hazelwood.
"They received information that a male had been robbed by a male and a female. He had a long rifle," Ford said.
Investigators responded and learned the thieves stole the man's handgun.
"Officers that arrived on scene had reason to believe that they were still barricaded in that area," Ford said.
They called in SWAT. Law enforcement suited up and brought in their tanks. However, they soon learned the robbers may have got away. Ford said they got ahold of license plate information and asked Penn Hills for help.
"They picked up that plate. They initiated a pursuit of the vehicle," Ford said.
At one point, a Penn Hills officer tried to pull the car over, but the car failed to stop, and the police cruiser crashed into the side of a building at Frankstown and Standard. The officer is okay.
"The road conditions are wet, so it doesn't take very much," Ford said.
Pittsburgh police took over until eventually, the car spun out by 3rd and Verona.
"It appears obviously tried to negotiate at a high rate of speed and lost control and flipped over on its side," Ford said.
EMS crews checked out the man and woman on the scene before officers took them to the hospital for evaluation and into custody.
"These two individuals by the crime that they perpetrated, being it was an armed incident, you know, necessity to take those people into custody obviously is very important," Ford said. "A very complicated scene and a very good job by all the officers involved both city and Penn Hills."
Police said they recovered the gun used in the robbery. They're still looking for the victim's gun. No shots were fired during the incident.