Hearing Tomorrow for Accused Killer of 3 Officers

A Pittsburgh man faces a preliminary hearing Wednesday in city court in connection with the shooting deaths of 3 police officers April 4 at his home in the Stanton Heights section of the city. 22 year old Richard Poplawski has been arraigned on 3 counts of homicide and multiple counts of attempted homicide and aggravated assault. A spokesman for the District Attorney's office refused to say whether they will seek the death penalty.
According to police affidavits, Poplawski's mother, Margaret Poplawski called 9-1-1 after she and her son argued about his dog and wanted her son out of the house. Several minutes after the call police arrived and the woman admitted them to her house. She then heard shots and saw her son with a rifle (which was later determined to be an AK-47) in his hands. According to the affidavit, she then yelled "What have you done?" and ran for the basement. After the 4 hour standoff ended, the body of officer Paul Sciullo was found inside the house; the body of officer Stephen Mayhle was found on the ground outside the house; and officer Eric Kelly, who was mortally wounded, made it to the street. Officers pinned down by rifle fire eventually got to Kelly but he died a short time after being transported to UPMC Presbyterian.
The bodies of the three officers will lie in repose at City Hall from 4 p.m. Wednesday until 10 a.m. Thursday. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Peterson Events Center at the University of Pittsburgh. Thousands of officers from across the country and from Canada are expected to attend.