Police shoot man in Kennedy shopping plaza during drug sting

Police shot a 27-year-old man twice in the arm Tuesday afternoon while trying to arrest him at a Kennedy Township shopping center as part of a multi-department drug sting, officials said.

The shooting happened at 2:17 p.m. in the parking lot of the Kenmawr Plaza near a Beer 4 Less store, Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Melinda Bondarenka said.

When officers attempted to arrest the suspect, whose identity has not yet been released, he refused to respond to verbal orders, Bondarenka said.

The suspect then used his vehicle to ram an unmarked vehicle occupied by a pair of undercover officers, causing both officers to suffer minor injuries, Bondarenka said.

When the suspect accelerated his vehicle toward other officers standing nearby, police opened fire on him, striking him twice in the arm, Bondarenka said. The suspect also had head and facial injuries caused by bullet fragments.

The man is being treated at a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, Bondarenka said.

Officers who rendered aid to the suspect were exposed to his blood, Bondarenka said.

It was not clear whether the suspect was armed.

No one else was with the suspect, and no bystanders were injured, Bondarenka said. She was not sure how many people were nearby during the “controlled drug buy” and ensuing shooting.

“It was a normal day in that shopping plaza so there were people, but how close they were or if they were close, I can’t answer that,” Bondarenka said.

Law enforcement officials from several departments were involved in the sting, including the FBI, state police, Allegheny County Police and police from Stowe and Kennedy. Officials did not identify the departments of the officer or officers who fired the shots.

“The investigation, once it’s concluded, will be turned over to the District Attorney’s Office, and then he will make the determination on what he feels was justified or not,” she said.

Officials plan to disclose more information at a news conference scheduled for Wednesday morning at the state police headquarters in Moon Township.

Bondarenka urged any witnesses to the incident to call state police at 412-299-1607.