Alex Thomas
The New Kensington Police Department is mourning the loss of their rookie officer Brian Shaw, who was killed while conducting a traffic stop on Friday night.
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State police say that, as of Saturday morning, the gunman is still at large and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms has offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect.
This happened 5 weeks ago. The boy in this picture had just gotten a pair of toy handcuffs and saw Brian Shaw eating dinner and wanted to show him his cuffs. Shaw spent time with the boy, showing him his "real" cuffs.
Mom who took this picture: "We need more Brians" pic.twitter.com/zpiGzWehYC
— David Kaplan (@DKaplanFox5DC) November 18, 2017
At this time, police are still learning many of the details and WXPI gave the following information:
- Shaw has been with the New Kensington Police Department for less than a year. He was a 2014 graduate of the Allegheny County Police Training Academy.
- According to his Facebook page, Shaw was from Lower Burrell, Pa. and attended Burrell High School.
- He studied criminal justice at Slippery Rock University and graduated in 2013.
- Shaw was shot twice in the chest during a traffic stop on Leishman Avenue on Nov. 17.
- He was transported to Allegheny Valley Hospital, where he later died.
During the traffic stop, which reportedly happened at 8:10 p.m., Shaw pulled over an SUV. After the shooting, authorities undertook a manhunt spreading across jurisdictions and later Friday night, the vehicle was found abandoned, TribLive reports.
#BREAKING: New Kensington police chief James Klein pleads for help and information from the public after officer Brian Shaw was shot and killed tonight. #KDKA pic.twitter.com/DdXFOwnISQ
— Ian Smith (@ismithKDKA) November 18, 2017
Though a young member of the force, Shaw was admired by his fellow officers. On Friday night, New Kensington Police Chief James Klein appeared before members of the press and said that Shaw was shot and killed after chasing the suspect in a foot pursuit. Klein also reached out to the community for help, saying “I’m asking anybody–anybody with any information, as minute as it might be, please, please give us a call. We need to find the person that did this.
Melanie Marsalko of WPXI also says that the FBI is working on this case:
PSP: FBI adding $25,000 to $5,000 reward leading to arrest of suspect in murder of New Ken Officer Brian Shaw… County Detectives are lead investigators on this case #WPXI
— Melanie Gillespie (@WPXIMelanie) November 18, 2017
The doors of the New Kensington Police Department have been draped in a black ribbon in honor of the late officer.
In memory of Officer Brian Shaw. #WPXI pic.twitter.com/ADirSdyELV
— Gigi (@wpxigigi) November 18, 2017
