Butler man shot and arrested after threatening family with rifle

Early Sunday morning, two PA state troopers were called to Bessemer Avenue when they received a phone call about a man wielding a gun. Police shot the man, injuring him, when the man turned at police with his rifle. The gunman, whom police identified as a 24-year-old from Butler, was taken to UPMC Presbyterian in Oakland and treated while guarded by state police. He suffered at least one bullet wound in the hand and forearm. He was charged with several counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault, assaulting an officer, and reckless endangerment. Police were called shortly before 5 a.m. after a 911 call reporting a man was shooting a gun into the air and maybe at houses. PA State Police Captain Steve Ignatz said investigators are currently trying to figure out whether or not any rounds hit homes. Officers approached the man with their guns drawn and told the man to drop his rifle. Ignatz says the officers fired warning shots, then took the man down with a shot to the hand and one to the forearm. The shots were fired from about 180 feet away. The suspect took off, but troopers found him a short time later on a sidewalk in the neighborhood. Police say interviews revealed that before the man was taken down, he threatened relatives and was swinging a knife at one of them and pointing his rifle at two more. So far, investigators have not found any homes that were hit by gunfire. If you have been charged with violent crimes or have questions, call Pittsburgh criminal defense attorney Gary Gerson for a free consultation at 412-219-6875. Source: TribLive.com, “Troopers shoot, wound man in Butler Township” 8 March 2015