Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
PITTSBURGH, Pa. — A policeman in Beaver County was shot in the leg Wednesday afternoon during a shootout with a robbery suspect near a convenience store in Monaca, according to state police.
Patrolman Alan Shaffer, 36, a part-time Monaca officer who also works in other Beaver County communities, was chasing the suspect in an alley behind the CoGo’s in the 1400 block of Pennsylvania Avenue when he was hit shortly before 5:30 p.m.
Shaffer was taken to Heritage Valley Beaver hospital in Brighton for treatment, state police Lt. Eric Hermick said.
The gunman, Damontae Williams, 19, of Aliquippa, was taken into custody by Shaffer and an officer from Center, Hermick said.
He said a second robbery suspect, who was not involved in the shootout, drove off and was being sought. The getaway car was found abandoned in Aliquippa.
“I heard 10 to 12 gunshots, a series of ‘pap,’ ‘pap,’ ‘pap,’ ‘pap,’ ‘pap,'pap,’ ‘pap,’ ‘pap,’ ‘pap,’ ‘pap,’ ‘pap.’” I went to the window and saw an officer exit his police cruiser and run into the alley,” said Guy Cizauskas, 28, who lives on 14th Street, across from the CoGo’s.
“It’s extremely fortunate and amazing” that no one else was hurt, Hermick said.
He said the gunman is believed to have robbed the Cricket mobile telephone store about 5:15 p.m. in the Walmart Plaza in Center.
A description of the getaway vehicle was broadcast over the 911 system. Shaffer spotted it moments later and began chasing it through Monaca.
The gunman, who was a passenger in the vehicle, bailed out at the CoGo’s and began running along 14th Street before turning into Spruce Alley, Hermick said.
“I saw a cop getting out of his car and saw a man who was running drop a bag,” said Madalynn Hood, 19, of Monaca. She said she could see money inside the bag.
As the officer ran after the robber and turned the corner into the alley, the suspect, “who was unprovoked,” turned and began shooting, Hermick said.
At least two vehicles in the alley and on Pacific Avenue were hit by bullets, Hermick said.
The robber apparently only quit firing “when he ran out of ammunition or his gun jammed, I’m not sure which,” Hermick said. The gunman had a second gun but did not have time to grab it, Hermick said.
“I saw the cops had a suspect on the ground in my yard, cuffing him and taking him back to the car,” said Ray Pranskey, who was inside his home when he heard the shooting. “There are two bullet holes in my back windshield and another in the metal between the back passenger and front-seat window. A blanket hanging on the laundry line has a bullet hole in it.”
Kevin Kerr, owner of Flesh Mechanics tattoo parlor next door to the convenience store, said he went outside after hearing “something that sounded like fireworks.”
He said one police cruiser was in the store’s parking lot, and several police and emergency vehicles arrived within seconds afterward.
“I could see the wounded police officer limping as he was being helped to an ambulance,” Kerr said. “He looked pretty shaken up.”
Reprinted with permission from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review