District attorney: Shooting death of Pittsburgh man by officers justified

Credit: WPXI.com

Credit: WPXI.com

The shooting death of a man in a Pittsburgh neighborhood by police officers in February was justified, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala said Tuesday.

Mark Daniels, 39, was shot and killed Feb. 11 after police said he first fired at officers who were on patrol in Homewood neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Police had followed Daniels after officers noticed him acting suspiciously, authorities said.

“What is certain at this point in the evidence is that the officer was fired upon three times,” Zappala said during a news conference Tuesday.

Zappala said Daniels fired the first shots, initiating an exchange of gunfire with police.

Daniels ran from police after he was shot in the arm, Zappala said. The shot severed an artery.

An officer involved in the incident, Gino Macioce, is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation by Allegheny County police.

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