Off-Duty Police Officer Shot In Homewood Dies
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The off-duty Pittsburgh Police officer shot multiple times last weekend in Homewood has died.
Officer Calvin Hall, 36, was shot on 7300 block of Monticello Street around 1:30 a.m. Sunday. He was rushed to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital where he remained in critical condition for several days before passing away from his injuries.
In a statement, Pittsburgh Police Chief Scott Schubert said:
"It is with great sorrow and a heavy heart that I must inform the public that Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Officer Calvin Hall passed away earlier today at UPMC Presbyterian.
"We as a Bureau are heartbroken. We are in mourning. We are supporting each other, and we are keeping Officer Hall's family in our prayers and doing whatever we can to support and lift them in this dark, devastating time.
"Officer Hall was on the force for two years after previously working for Braddock Police. In his time here he left an indelible mark on his brother and sister officers, as well as the community he served. He was known for his quick smile, ever-optimistic attitude and for his career-long focus on community policing. He was a model officer. He made it a priority to connect with residents, and succeeded in doing so.
"Officer Hall was shot three times in the back July 14 on the 7300 block of Monticello Street. He fought valiantly for more than three days before succumbing to his injuries.
"Regarding the investigation, we are investigating Officer Hall's death as a homicide, and we are investigating the strong possibility, based on gathered evidence, that Officer Hall, who was off duty, was in fact acting under the color of the law when he was fatally shot.
"That will be determined investigatively at a later date. Ceremonially, Officer Hall will receive the full burial honors that he deserves.
"We all want answers. However, this is an ongoing investigation. As in all cases, we must maintain the integrity of the investigation and so we cannot comment further at this time.
"We also ask again that media and the public respect the family's privacy while they mourn Officer Hall's passing. Keep them in your prayers, but please give them the space they need and deserve at this dark time.
"Additional information, including funeral arrangements, will be released by the PIO Office when available."
Flags are flying at half-staff at Pittsburgh Police Headquarters to honor Officer Calvin Hall who died after being shot over the weekend. pic.twitter.com/6gIMpSDDLH
— Chris Hoffman (@NewsmanChris) July 17, 2019
Hall was visiting family and friends at the time.
"I heard four gunshots. Pop, pop, pop, pop and he hit the ground," Darnell Coates, Hall's cousin, said earlier this week. "He was coming over to visit me."
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Police said it all started at a party going on across the street.
Officers were called after a report of a man waving a gun, authorities said. The man, later identified as 44-year-old Douglas Watson Sr., fled on a motorcycle but was arrested by authorities.
That event led to the shooting of Hall. Police sources told KDKA's Andy Sheehan that the arrest provoked an argument between relatives of Hall and friends of Watson, who accused them of calling the police on Watson.
Hall tried to intercede in the argument, trying to calm things down.
Around 1:30 a.m., shots were fired and that's when Hall — who was not armed — was shot three times in the back at close range.
Watch Pittsburgh Police Officers Remember Officer Calvin Hall.
Hall has been with Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for two years and was assigned to the Northview Heights Public Safety Center.
Mayor Bill Peduto has released this statement on Hall's passing:
"On behalf of all residents of the City of Pittsburgh I want to express my deepest condolences to the family, friends and coworkers of Officer Hall, a man who was deeply committed to his public service to the community. The coming days will once again be difficult ones for our city, as we come together to mourn in pain and sadness.
I am ordering all flags at city facilities to fly at half-staff through the officer's funeral."
Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman released this statement on Twitter:
"I am heartbroken for the loss of Officer Hall. He served our community with integrity, empathy, and professionalism. He was a supreme credit our force in Braddock as he was for Pittsburgh."
Hall is also a former with Point Park University campus police. Police Chief Jeffrey Besong released this statement:
"Calvin Hall made his mark as an exceptional police officer in his two years with the Point Park University Police Department. I hired him with the hope that he would be part of the Point Park family for years to come, but the Pittsburgh Police came calling, as they saw the same things in him that I did. There is no shortage of people who loved Calvin, and we join them in mourning this terrible loss. Our hearts are with his family, and his brothers and sisters with the Pittsburgh Police. This city has lost a great servant and ambassador."
Hall's fellow officer say he was born and raised in Pittsburgh, and describe his personality as always being positive and upbeat. They said he had a real talent for connecting with the community.
B-PEP, the Black Political Empowerment Project, have scheduled a news conference about Hall's death at 5:30 p.m.
Watch A Live Report On Officer Calvin Hall From KDKA's Andy Sheehan.
