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PITTSBURGH (AP) — A man opened fire on police officers responding to a domestic disturbance call on Saturday morning, killing three of them, before barricading himself in the home, said a police official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the news media.
After a standoff that lasted for several hours, the man who fired at the officers was arrested after surrendering around 11 a.m., The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said.
At least five officers were wounded, said a police spokeswoman, Diane Richard. It is not clear if that included the officers who were killed. The Post-Gazette reported on its Web site, quoting Ms. Richard, that some of the wounded officers remained in positions where they could not be immediately be treated.
The officers were called to the home in the Stanton Heights neighborhood around 7 a.m., Ms. Richard said.
Edward Perkovic, 22, who said he was the gunman’s best friend, said he got a call at work from him in which he said, “Eddie, I am going to die today. ... Tell your family I love them, and I love you.”
“I heard gunshots, and he hung up,” Mr. Perkovic said.
Rob Gift, 45, who lives a block away, said he heard rapid gunfire as he was letting his dog out.
He said the neighborhood of well-kept single-family houses is home to many police officers, firefighters, paramedics and other city workers.
“It’s just a very quiet neighborhood,” Mr. Gift said.