A gunman wearing a bulletproof vest and “lying in wait” killed three police officers responding to a domestic disturbance call yesterday.
Police chief Nate Harper said the motive for the shooting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was not clear, but friends said the gunman had recently been upset about losing his job and feared the Obama administration was poised to ban guns.
Richard Poplawski (23) met officers at the doorway and shot two of them in the head, Mr Harper said. An officer who tried to help the two was also killed.
Poplawski, armed with an assault rifle and two other guns, then held police at bay for four hours as the fallen officers were left bleeding nearby, their colleagues unable to reach them, according to police and witnesses.
More than 100 rounds were fired by the police teams and Poplawski, Mr Harper said.
Poplawski had gunshot wounds in his legs but was otherwise unharmed because he was wearing a bulletproof vest, Mr Harper said.
He was charged with three counts of murder, aggravated assault and a weapons offence.
Two of the officers killed were answering an emergency call from Poplawski’s mother, who remained hidden in the basement during the shootings and escaped unharmed, Mr Harper said.
The shooting comes a day after a gunman shot dead 13 people in New York state.
PA
