Crime & Safety

One Dead After Shots Fired in Sewickley Residence

Sewickley police were investigating an intruder alarm at a Thorn Street home.

The Allegheny County SWAT team was summoned to Sewickley Monday night after an incident involving an intruder shot inside a borough home. 

County police Lt. Andy Schurman said Sewickley police were first called about 10:30 p.m. to a home in the 300 block of Thorn Street in response to an intruder alarm. 

Once there, he said police became embroiled in an altercation with the intruder and there were shots fired. Schurman said the intruder was the only one inside.

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"The subject was hit with bullets and transported a local area area hospital where he was pronounced dead," said Schurman, who works in the homicide division.  

According to the Allegheny County Examiner's Office, Robert Brooks, 27, was pronounced dead at 12:14 a.m. at Heritage Valley Sewickley hospital. An autopsy will be performed today or tomorrow.

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Schurman said an investigation is ongoing. 

Residents told Patch that there were many police cars that responded to the area of the home, including one car that blocked off Little Street near Thorn and two other cars stationed in the parking lot of Herbst Automotive.

The incident unfolded inside the home, where police had previously responded to several domestic disputes. 

Sewickley police recently charged Brooks, a former Army Ranger now serving in the Army National Guard, with two counts of making terroristic threats on a couple who lived at the residence.

According to a criminal report, Sewickley police received a complaint in February that Brooks was texting, calling and threatening the couple that included threats against police. 

The complaint also said the couple believed Brooks wanted to commit suicide by way of "death by cop." 

Check back with Patch for more details. 

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