PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Pittsburgh Pigs Kill...Again
by repost Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2004 at 2:33 PM

More legal murder. I wonder what Zappala will say?

Chief says shooting by cops appears justified
Wednesday, October 20, 2004

By Jonathan D. Silver, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Cautioning that the investigation is still in its early stages, Pittsburgh Police Chief Robert McNeilly said today that two officers appeared justified when they fired into a car that reportedly was driving toward one of them during a drug arrest last night.

Two people in the car were wounded when police opened fire at Penn and Lang avenues in North Point Breeze.

McNeilly, at a press conference this afternoon, gave this account of the incident, which began around 7 p.m.:

Undercover police witnessed a suspected drug transaction between people in two cars in a parking lot in East Liberty, and then police followed as both cars headed to North Point Breeze. Backup units were called in and stopped both cars at Penn and Lang.

Two men in one car stopped and surrendered. They are Andre Higgs, 21, of Homestead, and Austin Bugel, 20, of Munhall. They are charged with drug possession and possession with intent to deliver. Drugs were found in their car.

The driver of the other car, however, refused officers' demands to turn off the ignition. That driver, identified as Walter D. Anderson, 21, of Lincoln-Lemington, backed up into an unmarked police car and then drove toward narcotics detective John McBurney, a 10-year-veteran who was standing in front of Anderson's car.

McNeilly was uncertain how fast Anderson was moving and how close he was to the detective.


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McBurney, who had his gun drawn, fired five times into the car. Anderson backed into the unmarked car again, and then began driving forward.

Another officer who was near the car, Todd McCollum of the East Liberty station, fired four times into the car. This time the driver gave up.

Anderson was shot in the chest and arm. A passenger, Jateya Holt, 21, of Garfield, was hit in the hip.

Police said Anderson was wanted in two robberies. They found a plastic pistol but no drugs in his car, but they called him a drug suspect. Holt was not charged.

A detective in the car that was rammed was shaken up but not seriously injured.

McNeilly said it is permissible for officers, under the department's regulations, to fire at a moving vehicle if the officers feel they are endangered.

The investigation is being done in cooperation with the county district attorney's office.



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More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

add your comments

not sure about this one
by Ken Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2004 at 2:42 PM

while i have generally been against the police on many questionable things they have done in regards to shootings and such, I'm not sure that this one is completely wrong. If someone is speeding towards me after slamming into my co-worker, I'd probably shoot too. But, I still have to hear more on the case before really deciding. Any follow-up info would be appreciated

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Tired Alibi
by repost Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2004 at 2:44 PM

The old "he was gonna hit me/my partner with a car" defense.
Gotta love the classics

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ummm
by Ken Thursday, Oct. 21, 2004 at 3:53 PM

ok its says here (and you don't refute this) that the guy backed into one cop car and then sped towards the other cops involved in the sting. So how is this an excuse? It seems to be a fact that noone is disputing! And can you honestly tell me that if someone is coming at you in a car with the likely intent to hit you and likely kill you, that you would just stand there and get run over?? That's one of the dumbest things I have ever heard in my life. Like I said, I don't know much about the case, and I was clear to state that I am still open to it being the cops' fault (again) but need more info to decide. Instead of trying to make ignorant remarks, how about actually posting more information on the case so people such as myself can see what happened here. You can't possibly expect everyone to just automatically side with you with a sliver of info.

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Don't believe a lie
by Honest Abe Wednesday, Mar. 11, 2009 at 4:16 PM
bobwms@hotmail.com

tTo UMMM

Do you take the word of someone who has committed a crime or the victim of the crime? Of course the criminal will try to justify his actions ie: the police. They always use the "car threat" or the "reaching for a gun threat". That's standard procedure when they shoot someone. However, murder is murder and no conclusions should be formed until a thorough and impartial investigation is completed.

The one fact we know when the police shoot someone is that the police shot someone. It remains to be seen if it was justified. In my opinion, since so many shootings and deaths occur at the hands of police, I'm willing to bet that the police version of the incident is not always the truth... especially if the victim dies.

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