An armed male sporting a headlamp fired a series of gunshots on Ralston Road off Centreville Pike on October 23, prompting a police response and hours-long standoff.
Centreville Pike resident Vanessa Johnson, who also serves as the assistant director of aquatics/risk management at SRU, witnessed an hours-long standoff a couple hundred yards away.
“It was a two-hour standoff. The man had a mental breakdown,” she said. “That’s pretty much the story.”
Jonhson said she woke up to the gun shots around 5 a.m. Following an initial shot, she heard multiple shots follow, which prompted her to contact the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP). State troopers arrived around 6:50 a.m., according to Johnson.
Johnson conversed with her next-door neighbor, who said she also heard the shots, after she called PSP. Following the conversation, Johnson let her dogs out to pee and recalled seeing the man “walk up and down the road shooting the gun.”
After the police arrived, Johnson said police blocked off Ralston Road and asked residents to stay in their houses. Johnson said the incident was wrapped up by noon.
State Trooper and Public Information and Community Services Officer Bertha Cazy responded to a request for comment on behalf of Pennsylvania State Police regarding the Centreville Pike incident.
“There was a report of shots fired in Slippery Rock this morning that PSP investigated. A homeowner reported individuals broke into his house and that gunfire was exchanged. Through the investigation it was determined that no one was in his home and he appeared to be suffering from a mental health crisis. No threat to public safety and no injuries associated with this incident. The local schools and college were notified,” Cazy said via email.
Cazy said PSP is not disclosing any other details at this time.
