Pa. Cop Ambushed by Fugitive who Threatened Police

Lower Burrell (Pa.) Police Patrolman Derek Kotecki was shot and killed at a Dairy Queen restaurant Wednesday evening as police tried to arrest a wanted fugitive.

Officer Kotecki, 40, was an 18-year veteran and the department's K-9 officer. He was fatally shot by Charlie Post, the subject of a manhunt since Oct. 2, when he fired gunshots at his boss, a contractor, outside of the Clarion Hotel in New Kensington.

Officers received information that Post would be at the Daily Queen on Wednesday and arrived to arrest him, when he opened fire from his Jeep, hitting Officer Kotecki.

A foot pursuit led Post to a fence he couldn't climb. He turned and shot himself, and officers fired at him.

After Oct. 2, a Lower Burrell detective had reached Post by cell phone. Post responded by telling the officer that his gun was loaded with 14 bullets— "Thirteen for the cops and one for me."

Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review