Gunman kills three police officers in Pittsburgh ; `Lying in wait' after domestic disturbance call

PITTSBURGH - A gunman wearing a bulletproof vest and "lying inwait" opened fire on officers responding to a domestic disturbancecall yesterday, killing three of them and turning a quiet Pittsburghstreet into a battlefield, police said.

Police Chief Nate Harper said the motive for the shooting isn'tclear, but friends said the gunman recently had been upset aboutlosing his job and feared the Obama administration was poised to banguns.

Richard Poplawski, 23, met officers at the doorway and shot twoof them in the head immediately, Harper said. An officer who triedto help the two was also killed.

Poplawski, armed with an assault rifle and two other guns, thenheld police at bay for four hours as the fallen officers were leftbleeding nearby, their colleagues unable to reach them, according topolice and witnesses. More than 100 rounds were fired by the SWATteams and Poplawski, Harper said.

The three slain officers were Eric Kelly, Stephen Mayhle, andPaul Sciullo III. Kelly had been on the force for 14 years, Mayhleand Sciullo for two years each. Another officer was shot in the handand a fifth broke his leg on a fence.

Poplawski had gunshot wounds in his legs but was otherwiseunharmed because he was wearing a bulletproof vest, Harper said. Hewas charged with three counts of homicide, aggravated assault and aweapons violation.

The shooting occurred just two weeks after four police officerswere fatally shot in Oakland, Calif., in the deadliest day for USlaw enforcement since Sept. 11, 2001. The officers were the firstPittsburgh city officers to die in the line of duty in 18 years.

"This is a solemn day and it's a very sad day in the city ofPittsburgh," Harper said. "We've seen this kind of violence happenin California. We never would think this kind of violence wouldhappen in the city of Pittsburgh."

At 7 a.m., Sciullo and Mayhle responded to a 911 call fromPoplawski's mother, who remained holed up in the basement during theentire dispute and escaped unharmed, Harper said.

When they arrived at the home, Sciullo was immediately shot inthe head. Mayhle, who was right behind him, was also shot in thehead.

"It appears he was lying in wait for the officers," Harper said.

Kelly, who was on his way home after completing his overnightshift when he heard the call for help, rushed to the scene and waskilled trying to help Sciullo and Mayhle, Harper said. SWAT teamsand other officers arrived and were immediately fired on as well.

Don Sand, who lives across the street from Poplawski, said he waswoken up by the sound of gunfire. Hunkering down behind a wall inhis home, he saw the first two officers go down and then saw Kellyget shot.

"They couldn't get the scene secure enough to get to them. Theywere just lying there bleeding," Sand said. "By the time theysecured the scene enough to get to them it was way too late."

Poplawski feared "the Obama gun ban that's on the way" and"didn't like our rights being infringed upon," said Edward Perkovic,his best friend.

Perkovic, 22, said he got a call at work from him in which hesaid, "Eddie, I am going to die today. . . . Tell your family I lovethem and I love you."

Perkovic said, "I heard gunshots and he hung up. . . . He soundedlike he was in pain, like he got shot."

Poplawski had once tried to join the Marines, but was kicked outof boot camp after throwing a food tray at a drill sergeant,Perkovic said. Another longtime friend, Aaron Vire, said Poplawskifeared that President Obama was going to take away his rights,though he said he "wasn't violently against Obama."

Vire, 23, said Poplawski once had an Internet talk show but thatit wasn't successful. He said Poplawski owned an AK-47 rifle andseveral powerful handguns, including a .357 Magnum.

Obama has said he respects Americans' constitutional right tobear arms, but that he favors "common sense" gun laws. Gun rightsadvocates interpret that as meaning he would approve of curbs onownership of assault and concealed weapons.

Poplawski had been laid off from his job at a glass factoryearlier this year, said another friend, Joe DiMarco. DiMarco said hedidn't know the name of the company, but knew his friend had beenupset about it.

Poplawski had often fought with neighbors and had even gotteninto fistfights with a couple of them, Sand said.