A man is charged after a police officer was killed and another injured in a shooting in McKeesport on Monday. Allegheny County Police said McKeesport officers responded around 12:11 p.m. to a domestic disturbance call in the 1400 block of Wilson Street. Police said they were made aware of a subject in a mental health crisis and warned that he may be armed. “Officers attempted to speak with the subject, and he walked away without speaking to officers,” Allegheny County Police Superintendent Christopher Kearns said. A criminal complaint identifies Johnathan Jermia Morris, 31, of McKeesport, as the suspect in the shooting. In the documents, officers say Morris is a veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and had an episode. According to the criminal complaint, Morris told two witnesses that “the police were trying to kill him” and asked them to film him as he walked down Grandview Avenue towards Versailles Avenue. Officers met him outside 1300 Grandview Avenue. “The suspect suddenly pulled out a handgun and shot the two McKeesport officers,” Kearns said. The police investigation then revealed multiple casings at the scene, which matched the area seen on video as Morris shot the two officers, according to the criminal complaint. One of the officers was taken to UPMC McKeesport, where he was pronounced dead, police said. The second officer was airlifted to a Pittsburgh hospital. “Subject continued around the corner to the intersection of Versailles Avenue and Patterson Avenue, where he encountered a third McKeesport officer. He again drew a gun and fired on this officer,” Kearns said. “There was an exchange of gunfire and the subject was injured.” A statement from Allegheny County identified the slain officer as 32-year-old Sean Sluganski. Sluganski had served on the force for two years after joining the department in January 2020. The injured officer was identified as Charles Thomas, Jr., 35. The county release says Thomas has been on the force for four years. He was discharged from hospital and is now recovering at home. “This is a tragic loss for our department and our community,” said county communications director Amie M. Downs. “We have lost a friend, a trusted colleague and an officer whose passion was to serve the public.” Thomas and Morris were in stable condition, police said earlier in the day. Kearns said charges are being prepared against Morris, who he says is known to McKeesport police. Morris now faces charges of criminal homicide, aggravated assault and first-degree murder of a police officer, among related charges. A procession for Sluganski made up of other first responders began around 5:15 p.m., traveling from UPMC McKeesport to the Pittsburgh County Medical Examiner’s Office. All schools in the McKeesport area school district were closed to the outside due to police activity. The lockdown was then lifted. This is a developing story. Stay with Action News 4 from Pittsburgh for updates. Download the WTAE mobile app to stay connected with the latest news.
A man is charged after a police officer was killed and another injured in a shooting in McKeesport on Monday.
Allegheny County Police said McKeesport officers responded at around 12:11 p.m. to a domestic disturbance call in the 1400 block of Wilson Street.
Police said they were made aware of a subject in a mental health crisis and were warned he may be armed.
“Officers attempted to speak with the subject, and he walked away without speaking to officers,” Allegheny County Police Superintendent Christopher Kearns said.
A criminal complaint identifies Johnathan Jermia Morris, 31, of McKeesport, as the suspect in the shooting. In the documents, officers say Morris is a veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and had an episode.
According to the criminal complaint, Morris told two witnesses that “the police were trying to kill him” and asked them to film him as he walked down Grandview Avenue towards Versailles Avenue.
Officers met him outside 1300 Grandview Avenue. “The suspect suddenly pulled out a handgun and shot the two McKeesport officers,” Kearns said. The police investigation later discovered multiple casings at the scene, which matched the area seen on video as Morris fired at the two officers, according to the criminal complaint.
One of the officers was taken to UPMC McKeesport, where he was pronounced dead, police said. The second officer was airlifted to a Pittsburgh hospital.
“Subject continued around the corner to the intersection of Versailles Avenue and Patterson Avenue, where he encountered a third McKeesport officer. He again drew a gun and fired on this officer,” Kearns said. “There was an exchange of gunfire, and the subject was injured.”
A statement from Allegheny County identified the slain officer as 32-year-old Sean Sluganski. Sluganski had served on the force for two years after joining the department in January 2020.
The injured officer has been identified as Charles Thomas, Jr., 35. The county statement said Thomas had been with the force for four years. He was discharged from hospital and is now recovering at home.
“This is a tragic loss for our department and our community,” said county communications director Amie M. Downs. “We have lost a friend, a trusted colleague and an officer whose passion was to serve the public.”
Thomas and Morris were in stable condition, police said earlier in the day.
Kearns said charges are being prepared against Morris, who he says is known to McKeesport police.
“They’ve dealt with him in the past,” Kearns said.
Morris now faces charges of criminal homicide, aggravated assault and first-degree murder of a police officer, among related charges.
A procession for Sluganski made up of other first responders began around 5:15 p.m., traveling from UPMC McKeesport to the county medical examiner’s office in Pittsburgh.
All schools in the McKeesport Area School District were closed to the outside due to police activity. The lockdown was then lifted.
This is a developing story. Stay with Action News 4 from Pittsburgh for updates. Download the WTAE mobile app to stay connected with the latest news.
