Police Wound Standoff Suspect Barricaded In Churchill Home
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CHURCHILL (KDKA) -- A man is in the hospital following a lengthy standoff and officer-involved shooting in Churchill Wednesday evening.
According to Allegheny County Police, officers and paramedics were sent to a home in the 2200 block of Harmain Road just after 4 p.m. to respond to a medical call.
A male resident -- later identified as 50-year-old Robert Cascella -- declined medical attention, and police cleared the scene. Police say Cascella appeared to be agitated, but was "cordial" to the officers and paramedics.
Before the paramedics left the house, a female victim ran out of the home and said Cascella had repeatedly hit her in the head and knocked her down.
Police officers then returned to the home and tried to contact Cascella, but he did not respond. A SWAT team was called for assistance because officers knew Cascella had a number of firearms inside the home.
The sound of gunfire was in the air as SWAT officers tried to get Cascella to surrender.
"He is a Navy SEAL war veteran. They said he had high-powered weapons in his home," said neighbor Tami Warfield.
SWAT formed a perimeter around the house, and multiple police agencies were on scene trying to get Cascella to come outside.
However, he didn't listen to officers, and officials say he ended up firing at officers twice.
"At about 6:57 p.m., additional shots were fired. Eventually, he did show himself to officers again, they fired and did wound the subject. They cautiously entered and took him into custody," said Allegheny County Police Superintendent Coleman McDonough.
Cascella sustained gunshot wounds to his torso and his arm. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was last reported to be in stable condition.
None of the officers Cascella fired at were injured. Police say Cascella was using a rifle.
When officers searched the house, they found an AR-15 platform rifle, a shotgun, two handguns, several thousand rounds of ammunition, body armor, a gas mask and night vision goggles.
Pennsylvania State Police have taken over the investigation from Allegheny County Police, as is protocol in officer-involved shooting cases.
All Allegheny County Police Department officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave pending investigation.
PennDOT was forced to shut down the Parkway East in both directions near the Greensburg Pike exit as a result of the standoff. The highway was closed from Wilkinsburg to Churchill, but has since reopened.
