Wilkinsburg man was shot 7 times by police, investigators say

Forty-three seconds elapsed from the start of the Dec. 22 pursuit of a Wilkinsburg man and the exchange of gunshots that led to his death by Wilkinsburg police, authorities said Tuesday.

Romir Talley, 24, fired one round at an unidentified police officer, who returned fire, hitting Talley was hit seven times, according to a statement from Allegheny County police Supintendent Coleman McDonough.

Before the shots were fired, police said, officers asked Talley to remove his hands from his pockets. He ignored them and ran, police said. The chase started through a vacant lot off Penn Avenue onto Stoner Way and ended in a yard behind 908 Center Street, where Talley is alleged to have fired once.

A silver revolver with one spent cartridge and four live rounds were found by Talley, police said.

The shooting wasn’t recorded by police body cameras, police said.

Officers were responding to a call that a man wearing a black jacket and gray sweatpants had pulled a gun on the caller at the intersection of Penn Avenue and Wood Street. The man was described as having dreadlocks and carrying a silver handgun, according to county police.

As police responded the 911 caller confirmed that the officers had located the man with the gun and the information was relayed to the officers, county police said.

Three Wilkinsburg police officers responded in two marked police cruisers.

The Talley family had been represented by Pittsburgh attorney Todd Hollis, who last week called for transparency in the investigation into the incident. Hollis is no longer representing the family, and nationally-known civil rights attorney S. Lee Merritt is representing them, Hollis said.

Merritt didn’t return messages seeking comment Tuesday.

County police are investigating the shooting and will turn its findings over to the District Attorney’s office.

Police know of the “desire for a transparent investigation,” the statement from McDonough said.

The department’s goal is to get accurate information and that takes time, the statement said, and releasing information early may harm the investigation.

The officer involved in the shooting is on administrative leave.

Wilkinsburg police Chief Ophelia Coleman didn’t return a message seeking comment Tuesday.

County police are seeking anyone who witnessed the incident or who has details about it to call its tip line at 1-833-255-8477.