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Charges Filed Against Man in Baldwin Police Shooting

Bryan Lijewski faces one felony charge and nine misdemeanors.

Baldwin Borough police have charged Bryan Robert Lijewski, 30, with one felony and nine misdemeanors stemming from their appearance at Lijewski's home on Elmwood Drive in central Baldwin on Feb. 10, according to an online docket sheet.

Police went to Lijewski's home at 5147 Elmwood at around 4 a.m. that day in response to a domestic disturbance involving a female resident who told police that her boyfriend, who also lives at the home, was holding a gun and was threatening to harm himself, Allegheny County police Superintendent Charles Moffatt said at a news conference later that day.

The incident resulted in the injury of Baldwin Borough police Sgt. Ralph Miller, who was shot twice in the hip/lower back area by a fellow Baldwin officer during a confrontation with the boyfriend at the home.

Another Baldwin officer fired at the house but did not hit anyone. Neither of the Baldwin officers who fired shots have been identified.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that the boyfriend was Lijewski. The Allegheny County Assessment Web page lists Lijewski as the home's owner since 2009.

According to the Tribune-Review article, Lijewski refused to show police both of his hands, and Sgt. Miller could see a woman in the house holding a child.

Baldwin police Chief Michael Scott told the Trib that charges have been filed against Lijewski because of "violence that went on in the home before police arrived."

Lijewski faces one count each of illegal possession of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance, three counts each of simple assault and recklessly endangering another person, and two counts of endangering the welfare of children.

Two children were inside of the home at the time of the shooting—a 17-month-old and a 6-year-old, Moffatt said. The boyfriend's gun, a shotgun, was found outside of the home.

"It was thrown out of a window outside of the home, in the rear of the home," Moffatt said. "We don't know when it was thrown."

Scott told the Trib that Miller may remain hospitalized for another three weeks and that he may require physical therapy.

Allegheny County police are investigating the shooting.

Scott told the Post-Gazette that he has not "ruled out" that the gun that injured Miller could have malfunctioned.

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cc February 26, 2013 at 01:40 pm
I agree that charges should be filed against the home owner, but most will be tossed out when he goes for his pre-trial hearing as he wasn't threatening to harm anyone but himself.
Both Barney Fife's who fired their guns also need charges filed against them for recklessly endangering another person and home. They could of hit the mother and children in the home with the way they both recklessly fired their guns.
RM February 26, 2013 at 03:10 pm
What was the controlled substance?
old man February 26, 2013 at 03:53 pm
CC, I totally agree with you on this. The police officers also need charges filed against them also. And the one who stood outside and attempted to fire into the house, should face immediate dismissal from the police dept. There is absolutely no excuse for what he did.
cc February 26, 2013 at 07:09 pm
agree
Robert Edward Healy, III (Editor) February 26, 2013 at 07:26 pm
RM, I do not know.
Watcher February 26, 2013 at 07:47 pm
Both officers that did the shooting also need to be charged with reckless endangerment. You cannot say what they did was any attempt to help there fellow officer. Yes the guy in the house was not co-operating, possibly impaired, but still no excuse to blindly open fire at A house containing at least two children that they knew was inside.
Robert Edward Healy, III (Editor) February 26, 2013 at 08:04 pm
I wouldn't say "blindly" opening fire, Watcher.
We don't know yet why the first two shots were fired. As for the third shot, Chief Scott said that the third officer, thinking that the boyfriend had shot Miller, was aiming at the boyfriend through a window: http://patch.com/A-1Trx.
Watcher February 26, 2013 at 11:20 pm
You still dont open fire if you do not have A clear target, especially in A possible hostage situation. It would be A tough call for A SWAT sniper to have to make, again with A woman and children in the house. It would only be A last resort. Maybe blindly not the right word, reckless, carelessness, may be better.
PITT#983 February 27, 2013 at 05:06 am
Again so much speculation without facts or knowledge about the incident that night! I posted previously about case law covering LE in regards to the use of force. Nobody knows what the officer saw, what angle he had, where anyone was in the house, or many other factors that would have gone into a decision the officer made that night. I am not going through it again so for all of you that sit at your computers and type with no facts look it up Graham V Conner. The test of Graham rests on the Totality of Circumstances known to the officer at the time force was employed. If you think I am wrong then why have charges not been filed against the officer that shot at the wrong vehicle the night of the incident on the Southside that occurred about a month ago? Could the officer be subject to discipline within his dept of course but charges filed HIGHLY unlikely. I am sure both officers that discharged their weapons that night are suffering a great deal from that night and maybe some of you that sit behind your computers and throw out insults and speculation should think of the human factor before doing so.
Margaret French February 27, 2013 at 04:03 pm
I agree with cc and old man. Just because he is a police officer should be no excuse. In fact he should of known better.
PITT#983 February 27, 2013 at 06:02 pm
AH. Since you are so knowledgeable in the LE field please could you find "Rules of Engagement" and post it for me. How do you know where he fired, what he saw or what his sight picture was? You must have been there right?! Let me guess, you have guns, you go to a range and shoot at a paper target. We should just ignore the US Supreme Court right AH cause you obviously know more than they do.
Watcher February 27, 2013 at 08:19 pm
Ok, we give the officer who fired into/at the window the benefit of the doublt and say he heard shots, came running, saw the officer down and loosed off A round. Still, cant come up with A scenario that has A police officer with A assault rifle that is leveled at another officers back.
PITT#983 February 28, 2013 at 09:03 am
You are right here. Poor muzzle dicipline.
PITT#983 February 28, 2013 at 09:08 am
Thanks for the Einstein compliment I really appreciate it. I am FULLY aware of the use of force continum. I was asking for the "rules of engagemanet" you refrenced in your previous post.
PITT#983 March 1, 2013 at 04:30 am
Still waiting for the rules of engagement and not the use of force. Did you have to go rent the movie?
cc March 2, 2013 at 01:45 pm
Baldwin Police at their finest should not be allowed real guns. They need to just do dui stops. It is a shame that an officer was shot by one of his own twice then the other officer shot in a house that had a women and 2 children in the home.
They should of asked for Guidance from the Whitehall Officer that was on the scene. I do pray for the officer who went down but the other two need fired.
Robert Edward Healy, III (Editor) March 11, 2013 at 05:48 pm
"Blood Drive in Honor of Sgt. Miller Set for Tuesday": http://patch.com/A-2Csk

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joan etzel June 11, 2013 at 08:18 pm
either e-mail jte1327@verizon.net or call 412-884-0984
Robert Edward Healy, III (Editor) June 11, 2013 at 11:35 pm
There we are!
Big Red June 13, 2013 at 09:43 am
thanks Robert
Purple Power June 12, 2013 at 11:23 am
Well, you never know when a new verbal onslaught might come your way. I mean, after all, you wereRead More blind-sided last week by a verbal attack, who's to say another doesn't happen this week.
Tom Barchfeld June 12, 2013 at 12:29 pm
They can only do it during their comment time.
Ned Hardt June 13, 2013 at 08:16 am
Things are much clearer now. Interesting audio clip posted on Patch today along with new article.
cc June 7, 2013 at 06:24 am
Margaret, I'm sorry for your loss. Your son is your guardian angle watching over you and yourRead More family.
Margaret French June 7, 2013 at 09:14 am
Thank you. Yesterday was a hard day for me.
cc June 8, 2013 at 09:15 am
Margaret I'm sure it was a very hard day. I don't look forward to June 17 as I lost my best friend,Read More my dad that day.
Ned Hardt June 9, 2013 at 12:54 am
We understand, Bob, it's the new system, not US nor our abilities. Just a shame it takes so long butRead More there HAS been progress. Looks like they need to next work on making the "flag as inappropriate" button work, {sigh} Hey, Margaret, Patch knocked computer off IE AGAIN in the middle of posting this, it's not just you---probably quite a few of us. I know of another website that had similar problems, but finally got it fixed. Hang in there! :-)
Ned Hardt June 9, 2013 at 12:56 am
Only took three tries to get that one to post, haha!
Margaret French June 12, 2013 at 09:23 am
LOL Ned. I am still getting knocked off. I use msn.
Robert Edward Healy, III (Editor) June 5, 2013 at 10:59 am
Baldwin Dad, hang in there with us. We're aware of the issues, and our IT team is working to fixRead More them ASAP.
Margaret French June 6, 2013 at 12:28 am
That is the same message I got for days. It was so frustrating.