Monday, September 21, 2009
By Jim McKinnon, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Police last night fatally wounded an elderly, armed North Versailles woman who, investigators said, had been preparing to ambush her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend.
"She parked her car away from the house, walked up to it, and was laying in wait for homeowner and his girlfriend to return from an engagement they had," North Versailles Police Chief James Comunale said this morning.
Elsa Seman
The woman, Elsa Seman, 71, was shot minutes after a resident on Shady Lane reported a prowler, dressed in black, crouching behind a home owned by her former boyfriend, Richard Ireland, 58, in the 3700 block of Shady Lane.
Police were summoned by a neighbor at 8:13 p.m. Within two minutes two veteran officers arrived and circled toward the rear of the residence.
One officer, an eight-year police veteran whose name has not been released, spotted Ms. Seman crouched behind the house.
She was dressed in black, wearing a latex glove on one hand in which she wielded a pistol, Chief Comunale said.
The officer ordered the woman to show her hands. As she did so, she pointed her pistol at the officer who immediately fired at her, the chief said.
Ms. Seman was taken to UPMC McKeesport where she was pronounced dead, Chief Comunale said.
Allegheny County homicide detectives are investigating the incident.
The officer who fired the fatal shot has been placed on paid administrative leave, pending further investigation.
Chief Comunale said his officers had been dispatched to Mr. Ireland's residence a few times in the past to quell nonviolent domestic disputes.
Earlier yesterday, police broke up an argument between Mr. Ireland and Ms. Seman.
No charges were filed in any of the previous incidents.
However, yesterday morning police advised Mr. Ireland about requirements to obtain a court restraining order against Ms. Seman.
More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
First published on September 21, 2009 at 9:31 am
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09264/999675-100.stm#ixzz0RnREDuGU
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