Suspect named in shooting of Monroeville police sergeant
The armed robbery suspect who sprayed a Monroeville police sergeant with gunfire Wednesday night has been identified as 32-year-old Jamal Brooks.
Brooks has been charged with striking the officer three times as he sat inside his marked car, according to a criminal complaint.
The sergeant — who was not identified — was undergoing surgery Thursday for gunshot wounds of the arm and buttocks.
The incident unfolded about 9:15 p.m. Wednesday when the sergeant, who was driving on Monroeville Boulevard near the Miracle Mile Shopping center, saw a man matching the description of a person who had just robbed Crumbl Cookie, a business in the 4100 block of William Penn Highway. He made a U-turn near the intersection with Stonecliffe Drive.
After the officer radioed that he was “getting out with one male,” the man began shooting — firing at least 16 times, according to authorities. The sergeant immediately gave his location and that shots were being fired, the complaint said.
“That’s him! That’s him!” the sergeant shouted.
Backup officers quickly arrived and took the suspect into custody, the complaint said. Police found two handguns lying on the ground: a SAR Silmaz SAR9 pistol with an empty magazine, and a .38 Taurus 885 revolver, which was loaded with five rounds.
The incident was captured on both the police vehicle’s dashboard camera and the sergeant’s body camera, according to Rebecca D. Spangler, chief of staff in the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office.
Brooks is facing charges of attempted homicide, aggravated assault and assault on a police officer, the complaint said. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Monday, Jan.8.
The sergeant underwent surgery Thursday at AHN Forbes Hospital. The sergeant, a supervisor on the 44-officer force, remained in stable condition Thursday morning in the Monroeville hospital, Monroeville police Chief Doug Cole told TribLive.
The sergeant’s vehicle had bullet damage to the windshield, the hood and the front grille area, the complaint said. There also were bullet holes in the driver’s-side door.
“In that fight or flight mode … these guys are dangerous people,” Cole said.
Police recovered 16 spent 9mm cartridge casings at the scene, the complaint said.
After being taken into custody, Brooks refused to answer questions, the complaint said.
As police took him to Allegheny County Jail, he refused to cooperate, slipped his handcuffs from the rear to the front, and unbuckled his seat belt several times, the complaint said.
Monroeville Manager Alex Graziani, who declined to identify the sergeant, said, “his reaction to everything was by the book and excellent.”
“The fact that they were able to apprehend the suspect … is commendable,” Graziani told TribLive.
Mayor Nicholas J. Gresock did not respond to calls or emails Thursday seeking comment.
Crumbl Cookie opened for business as usual Thursday morning. Nobody working at the shop was injured, and the store did not sustain any damage from gunfire.
“Crumbl is deeply saddened about the incident that occurred at our Monroeville location,” the company said in a prepared statement. “Our thoughts are with the community, our employees, and all those affected by this incident. We are fully cooperating with law enforcement as they conduct their investigation into the matter.”
An employee at a Stonecliffe Apartments leasing office, located feet from where the shooting took place, said the office was closed at the time of the incident. A woman working at a nearby dental surgery office said the same.
Berger Communities spokeswoman Nicole Loser, whose company owns the apartment complex, said officials are “thankful for the support of Monroeville police and are happy to cooperate.”
This is the second time in just two months a Monroeville police officer has been shot.
A 38-year-old Clairton man was charged with attempted homicide and other crimes in connection with the Nov. 10 shooting of a Monroeville police officer during a police chase that ended with a crash in Allegheny Township.
Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to call the County Police Tip Line 1-833-255-8477. Callers can remain anonymous.
Justin Vellucci is a TribLive reporter covering crime and public safety in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. A longtime freelance journalist and former reporter for the Asbury Park (N.J.) Press, he worked as a general assignment reporter at the Trib from 2006 to 2009 and returned in 2022. He can be reached at jvellucci@triblive.com.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.