The suspect, 31, was captured early Sunday while walking near a power plant outside New Florence, about 60 miles east of Pittsburgh, after a six-hour manhunt.
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Thirty-one-year-old Ray Shetler Jr. was under police guard at a hospital and charged with homicide in Saturday night’s shooting of St. Clair Township Officer Lloyd Reed in Westmoreland County.
State Police say he sustained a bullet wound to his right shoulder in the initial contact with police, and he was taken to the hospital for treatment. He spent over 20 years in Law Enforcement, serving with the Seven Springs, Hooversville, Seward and most recently St. Clair Township departments. He was pronounced dead of his wounds about midnight at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown.
Shetler’s girlfriend, Kristin Luther, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Shetler got violent during a drunken argument and brandished a hunting rifle.
“It’s a tragedy, and none of us can believe it”, Porter said.
Kenley said her nephew “is a very respectful and sweet guy who would do anything for anyone”.
Whether or not Shetler aimed the gun at Reed, “I would say 100 percent, definitively, that’s an opportunity for (Reed) to use deadly force”, Limani said.
Mr. Shetler told police that as he was leaving the home, a man was pointing a gun at him and “began shooting at him so he returned fire”, according to the criminal complaint.
State police will take over the investigation from local authorities in St Clair Township, which has a population of less than 2,000.
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For anyone interested in making a donation, checks can be made payable to the Officer Lloyd Reed Jr. Whatever happened, Limani said, Shetler knew his girlfriend had called police before grabbing the rifle to leave.He said, Expletive the police, to her, Limani said. That is located at 337 Winners Circle in Canonsburg, PA.
