PITTSBURGH The mother of a man charged with killing three Pittsburgh police officers told a 911 dispatcher he had weapons, but the dispatcher didn't relay that information to officers, the official in charge of county dispatchers says.
The dispatcher should have asked more questions about the weapons, but didn't, and certainly should have told officers so they could take necessary precautions, Allegheny County Chief of Emergency Services Robert Full told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
"There is no excuse. It could have been handled better, without a doubt," Full said in Tuesday's editions.
Richard Poplawski's mother, Margaret, had dialed 911 Saturday morning to summon police after threatening to evict him.
When officers arrived at the house, she opened the door for them. She later told police that she didn't know that her 23-year-old son was standing behind her with a rifle. He shot officer Paul Sciullo II, 37, in the home and officer Stephen Mayhle, 29, on the front stoop within seconds of their arrival, and then shot officer Eric Kelly, 41, in the street as he arrived to back them up, prompting a four-hour siege and gun battle with police, authorities said.
Poplawski was wearing a bulletproof vest and was armed with a variety of weapons, including an AK-47 assault rifle, authorities said.
He is also accused of firing into two neighboring homes, injuring nobody, and at nine other police officers, including one who was wounded as he tended to Kelly.
Poplawski's public defender has declined to discuss the case. He is being held without bond and faces an April 17 preliminary hearing on criminal homicide, attempted homicide and other charges.
read the article to see the 911 transcript
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