7/30/2019 News Release _ 1-5-13 Homicide-Suicide Inquiries
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Press Release Homicide/Suicide Incident Inquiries per Chief
Harper Page1 of 2
CITY OF PITTSBURGH
BUREAU OF POLICE
...accountability, integrity and respect.
CHIEFS OFFICE1203 Western Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15223
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: PIO Diane Richard
January 5, 2013 412-323-7814 Office
412-323-7820 Fax
[email protected]
Inquiries regarding the Homicide/Suicide on New Years Day
PITTSBURGH: Per Chief Harper, I am providing the attached
inquiry sent to the Chiefs Officefrom Jonathan Silver/Liz Navratil
of the Post-Gazette regarding the Homicide/Suicide incident that
tookplace on New Years Day. The Chief has stated the following: the
Bureau of Police is conducting ahomicide and internal investigation
into this incident to determine if all Bureau Polices andProcedures
were followed. We are in the early stages of an ongoing
investigation, and as such,the Bureau will not answer or provide a
statement on the questions below or any mediainquiries into this
incident.
Diane:Liz Navratil and I are preparing a story for publication
about how two Zone 5 officers -- LouisSchweitzer and Lance Hoyson
-- were dispatched 12/31 to Ka'Sandra Wade's house at 528 LowellSt.
nearly 24 hours before her body was discovered. The officers were
dispatched after a femalecalled 911 from the residence, there was a
commotion, and then the line disconnected. When theofficers arrived
at the house a male spoke briefly with them through the window,
said there was noproblem and denied them entry. The officers
cleared the call and left. The next night, during theSWAT standoff,
Anthony Brown threw out a note retrieved by police which contained
a reference toofficers having had an opportunity to save Wade. Here
are questions we would appreciate answersto today.Thank you,Jon
& Liz
- What information did Schweitzer and Hoyson have about the
situation when they were dispatched at2243 hours?- Who was
dispatched and who was backup?- What information did they receive
via radio from 911 and what did they receive via CAD (ie. MDT)?-
When they were dispatched for a female caller, unknown trouble,
line disconnected and they weremet at the door by a man who didn't
let them in, was it appropriate for them to clear the call
withoutascertaining whether there was a female inside and her
status?- What consultation if any did the officers have with their
supervisor about whether to clear the callafter 10 minutes at 2301
hours?- What consultation if any did the officers have with a city
police supervisor at the 911 center and/or a911 center supervisor
about whether to clear the call?
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- Who was the Zone 5 lieutenant and who were the Zone 5
sergeants on duty at the time of the call?- What shift were the
officers working (that is, when were they due to end their
shfits)?- What police supervisory presence at the 911 center was
there?- What is the bureau's protocol for officers responding to
such a call about how to handle it and whento clear?- Are the
officers under internal investigation (bureau or OMI) for their
actions? Or is there an internalinvestigation ongoing about the
circumstances surrounding the handling of this call?- Did Brown
throw officers a note during the standoff? If so, please provide
details.- What did the note say?- What specific reference did
Brown's note make to officers being able to aid or save Wade?- Were
the officers questioned by homicide detectives about their
actions?- If so, did the officers have any FOP representation
present?- Have police confirmed that Anthony Brown was the person
who spoke with the officers at Wade'sresidence on 12/31? If so,
when did that confirmation occur?- Have police confirmed whether
Wade was the caller to 911 on 12/31?- What concern is there if any
among police brass that the officers did not act thoroughly to
ascertainthe status of a female caller to 911 whose call was
disconnected when they were confronted with aman who said all is
well and refused to let them in?- Why have police not previously
released information about this call
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