A gunman ''lying in wait'' wearing a bulletproof vest opened fire on officers responding to a domestic disturbance call, killing three of them and turning a quiet Pittsburgh street into a battlefield, police said.
Police chief Nate Harper said the motive for yesterday's shooting wasn't clear, but friends said the gunman was upset about losing his job and feared the Obama Administration would ban guns.
Richard Poplawski, 23, met officers at the doorway and shot two of them in the head immediately, Mr Harper said. An officer who tried to help the two was also killed.
Poplawski, armed with an assault rifle and two other guns, then held police at bay for four hours as the officers were left bleeding nearby, their colleagues unable to reach them, police and witnesses said.
Poplawski received gunshot wounds in his legs but was otherwise unharmed because he was wearing a bulletproof vest, Mr Harper said. He was charged with three counts of homicide, aggravated assault and a weapons violation.
The three slain officers were Eric Kelly, Stephen Mayhle and Paul Sciullo. Officer Kelly had been on the force for 14 years, officers Mayhle and Sciullo for two years. Another officer was shot in the hand and a fifth broke his leg on a fence.
The officers were the first Pittsburgh police to die in the line of duty in 18 years.
The shooting occurred two weeks after four officers were shot dead in Oakland, California, in the deadliest day for US law enforcement since the attacks of September 11, 2001.
''This is a solemn day and it's a very sad day in the city of Pittsburgh,'' Mr Harper said.
''We've seen this kind of violence happen in California. We never would think this kind of violence would happen in the city of Pittsburgh.'' At 7am local time, officers Sciullo and Mayhle responded to an emergency call from Poplawski's mother, who remained holed up in the basement during the entire dispute and escaped unharmed, Mr Harper said.
When they arrived at the home, Officer Sciullo was immediately shot in the head. Officer Mayhle, who was right behind him, was also shot in the head. ''It appears he was lying in wait for the officers,'' Mr Harper said.
Officer Kelly, who was on his way home after completing his overnight shift when he heard the call for help, drove to the scene and was killed trying to help officers Sciullo and Mayhle, Mr Harper said. Elite police teams and other officers arrived and were immediately fired on as well.
Don Sand, who lives across the street from Poplawski, said he was woken by gunfire. Hunkering down behind a wall in his home, he saw the first two officers go down and then saw Officer Kelly shot.
''They couldn't get the scene secure enough to get to them. They were just lying there bleeding,'' MrSand said. ''By the time they secured the scene enough to get to them it was way too late.''
Poplawski's best friend, Edward Perkovic, said his friend feared ''the Obama gun ban that's on the way'' and ''didn't like our rights being infringed upon''. The Obama Administration is not planning to ban guns.
Mr Perkovic said he got a call at work from Poplawski in which he said, ''Eddie, I am going to die today. ... Tell your family I love them and I love you.''
Mr Perkovic said, ''I heard gunshots and he hung up ... He sounded like he was in pain, like he got shot.''
Poplawski had once tried to join the Marines, but was kicked out of boot camp after throwing a food tray at a drill sergeant, Mr Perkovic said.
Another long-time friend, Aaron Vire, said Poplawski owned an AK-47 rifle and several powerful handguns, including a .357 Magnum.
Another friend, Joe DiMarco, said Poplawski had been laid off from his job at a glass factory earlier this year and was upset about it. AP
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