An independent review panel has opened an investigation into the lack of police presence despite being requested at a Pittsburgh funeral where a shooting left six people injured last month.
Two shooters opened fire outside Destiny of Faith Church on October 28, injuring five people and sparking a melee that injured a sixth person. The funeral was for a man killed two weeks earlier in a shootout between two groups of neighbors, police said.
Pittsburgh officials said no officers were present, although a police presence had been requested. Acting Police Chief Thomas Stangrecki on Thursday promised discipline for the officers involved, but it was not immediately clear if police did not respond to the request or if they responded and the officers did not show up.
SHOOTING OUTSIDE PITTSBURGH FUNERAL HOME INJURES AT LEAST 6, POLICE ARREST TWO PERSONS OF INTEREST
Elizabeth Pittinger, executive director of the Citizens’ Police Review Board, said the officers should have been there, whether they requested it or not, “simply because of the assessment of inter-group tensions, which is critically important to keeping everyone safe.”
An independent review panel has opened an investigation into a lack of police presence at a funeral where six people were injured in a shooting.
He cited other incidents, including the shootings at a youth soccer game in August, where officers said promised officers never arrived, and asked whether supervision, communication or insubordination was to blame. Such questions, and if deeper problems are indicated, prompted the review panel to open the investigation, he said.
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Shawn Davis, 19, of McKees Rocks and a 16-year-old from Pittsburgh face charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault and weapons in the Oct. 28 shooting at the funeral of 20-year-old John Hornezes Jr., who he was among three people killed in a shooting on October 15 in Pittsburgh. Authorities have repeatedly refused to comment on whether Davis and the teen suspect had any connection to Hornezes or anyone who attended his service.
