‘They followed the guidelines’: Chief considers pursuit where cruiser crashed into home standard
Officials said officers were following protocol during the pursuit of two armed robbery suspects where a police cruiser crashed into a home.
The chase started in Hazelwood Saturday after a man was robbed by two people at gunpoint. At first, police thought the attackers were in a nearby home and called in SWAT. But, as the search continued, Penn Hills police saw the car suspected in the robbery and began a pursuit.
RELATED COVERAGE >> 2 armed robbery suspects flee Pittsburgh; arrested after police chase in Penn Hills
During the pursuit, a Penn Hills officer crashed into a home. A city officer then continued the chase, and it ended when the suspect’s car flipped.
PHOTOS >>> Penn Hills Police cruiser crashes into house in Pittsburgh
With two cruisers damaged, a home hit and an officer injured, Channel 11 asked Penn Hills Police Chief Ronald Como if this type of chase is standard.
He said yes, and Pittsburgh police agree — but say the pursuit will be reviewed by the board, which is standard protocol.
“Officers have to weigh justifications for a pursuit…In the case on Saturday, the suspects had just committed a violent felony using a firearm, stole a firearm, and fled in a vehicle with the weapons,” Como said. “That’s what happened it’s one of the things where [it’s] normal pursuit policies, they followed the guidelines — this is an armed suspect.”
Police are still investigating and have not identified the two suspects.
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