SWAT Team Called to Home near Ross Township Border

The Pittsburgh Police SWAT team surrounded a home in the 600 block of Ivory Avenue, near the city’s border with , after they said a retired city police officer threatened to commit suicide there Wednesday morning. 

The SWAT team assembled at a gas station at the corner of Ivory Avenue and Evergreen Road. Police officials said the retired officer lives in the home.

“We had a report of a retired police officer who was possibly threatening to harm herself as the result of a domestic (incident),” said Pittsburgh Police Cmdr. RaShall Brackney. 

“After putting our SWAT teams in place, we made contact with her and she very peacefully surrendered.” 

The officer will undergo a mandatory, minimum 72-hour mental health evaluation. Police don’t expect to file charges. 

“She never threatened anyone else with her weapons. The only person she appeared to be in distress over was her own behaviors and her own actions,” said Cmdr. Brackney. 

The officer, formerly from the Zone 1 police station, retired at least 10 years ago, after serving 25 years on the force. She is married to another retired city officer and detective, who called 911. 

“The husband made the phone call when he became concerned about some of her statements and some of her behaviors, and we responded. He was very cooperative, and she was as well. I’m guessing there was a stressing point in her life and a trigger for this,” said Cmdr. Brackney. 

The couple’s teenager daughter was also inside the home. Cmdr. Brackney said the teen was never in danger. 

The two retired officers both had .38 caliber service revolvers in the house. Cmdr. Brackney said there were no other weapons inside the home. 

Residents on either side of the officers’ home were not affected and not asked to leave. 

Cmdr. Brackney said the incident was over in less than an hour. 

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