State police: Trooper fatally shoots man during traffic stop in Washington County

Police said the man showed a firearm and would not drop the weapon.

Police said the man showed a firearm and would not drop the weapon.

LONG. AND TORI, YOU SPOKE WITH A WITNESS? TORI: SPOKE WITH A COUPLE PEOEPL WHO LIVE JUST OFF OF MAIN STRTEE WHERE THE SHOOTING HAPPENED. THEY TELL ME THEY ARE SHOCKED AND SURPRISEDO TKNOW THAT A DEADLY SHOOTING, INVOLVING A STATE POLICE TROOPER, HAPPENED OUTSIDE OF THE FIRRONT DOORS. TONIGHT, THAT DEADLY SHOOTING DID LEAVE ONE MAN DEAD D AAN TROOPER ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE. A TRAFFIC STOP. >> WESTLAND ROAD AND MAIN STREET, MT. PLEASANT IN HICKORY FOR AN OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING. TORI: THAT TURNED DEADLY. >> MULTIPLE SHOTS FIRED. ONE SUSPECT DOWN. TORI: ALL HAPPENING HERE ALONG WESTLAND ROAD AND MAIN STREET IN HICKORY SATURDAY NIGHT >> WE HEARD WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS GUNSHOTS, SOUNDED LIKE FIRECRACKERS GOING OFF, ACTUALLYLI, KE A WOLFPACK. TORI: AARON ENGLISH LIVES JUST UP THE ROAD FROM WHERE THE DEADLY SHOOTING HAPPENED. STATE POLICE SAY THEY HAD A REPORT OF A RETAIL THEFT AT THE RURAL KING IN WASHINGTON CROWN CENTER AROUND 6:00. IT WAS JUST A SHORT TIME LERAT THEY SPOTTED THE CAR THEY WERE SEARCHING FOR IN CONNECTION WITH THAT THEFT IN MOUNT PLEASANT TOWNSHIP. TROOPERS MADE E TRTHAFFIC STOP, AND SAY THE DRIVER WAS TAKEN INTO POLICE CUSTODY, BUTHE T PASSENGER WAS REFUSING TO GET OUT OF T C.HE >> STEP OUTSIDE TO GO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING WE SAW THE CAR PULLED OVER AND POLICE HAD IT SURROUNDED, AT THAT POINT YELLING TO THE REMAINING PERNSO TO PUT THE GUN DOWN. TORI: STATE POLICE SAY TH PASSENGER PULLED OUT A GUN, TROOPERS ORDERED HIM TO PUT IT DOWN, BUT SAY HE REFUSED. >>HIS TWAS AN OFFICER-INVOLVED INCIDENT THEY HAVE ONE SUSPECT DOWN AT THIS TIME. TORI: THAT’S WHEN A TROOPER FIRED AT HIM, WHO DIED AT THE SCENE. >> HICKORY, FOR ANYONE THAT HASN’T BEEN HERE, IT’S JUST A COUNTRY TOWN. YOU CAN LEAVE AND COME BACK 30 YEARS LATER AND NOTHG'I’S CHANGED. SO IT’S JUST A SLEEPY QUIET TOWN. IT WAS JUST AN UNUSUAL NIGHT. TORI: WE CAN SAY DENS NIWAS A FAMILIAR FACE TO LAW ENFORCEMT. COURT RECORDS SHOW HE HAD HAD SEVERAL TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS DATING BACK TO 2015 AND SEVERAL RETAIL THEFT CHARGES DINATCKG TO 2017. THE TROOPER IS ON ADMINISTRAVETI LEAVE PENDING THE INVESTIGATN.IO

State police: Trooper fatally shoots man during traffic stop in Washington County

Police said the man showed a firearm and would not drop the weapon.

State police said a trooper fatally shot a man during a traffic stop in Mount Pleasant Township on Saturday. According to a press release, troopers responded to a report of a retail theft at the Rural King store at the Washington County Mall at about 6 p.m. A trooper stopped a vehicle matching a description of the suspects. They arrested the driver.A passenger allegedly refused to exit the vehicle, showed a firearm, and did not drop the weapon when told to do so. Police said the trooper fired a department-issued firearm, hitting the man, who died at the scene."We were out swimming for most of the afternoon, just came up to make dinner around six o'clock and we were right here in the kitchen close by. We heard what we thought was gunshots, sounded like firecrackers going off, actually like a wolf pack," said Aaron English, who lives a few houses up from where the shooting happened. "Step outside to go see what was happening we saw the car pulled over and police had it surrounded at that point yelling to the remaining person to put the gun down."The Washington County Coroner's Office identified the man as Dennis Fonoimoana, 26. Troopers and police had Main Street and Westland Road blocked off for hours Saturday night as they investigated.Authorities have not identified the trooper who fired their weapon, but they are now on administrative duties, per state police policy. There was also no additional information about the driver of the vehicle.Court records show Fonoimoana has had several traffic violations dating back to 2015 and several retail theft charges dating back to 2017. Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh responded to the scene and said the troopers involved were OK.Witnesses tell Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 they heard at least one gunshot go off just before 6:15 p.m.The coroner's office confirmed Fonoimoana was pronounced dead at the scene around 8:03 p.m.

HICKORY, Pa. —

State police said a trooper fatally shot a man during a traffic stop in Mount Pleasant Township on Saturday.

According to a press release, troopers responded to a report of a retail theft at the Rural King store at the Washington County Mall at about 6 p.m. A trooper stopped a vehicle matching a description of the suspects. They arrested the driver.

A passenger allegedly refused to exit the vehicle, showed a firearm, and did not drop the weapon when told to do so. Police said the trooper fired a department-issued firearm, hitting the man, who died at the scene.

"We were out swimming for most of the afternoon, just came up to make dinner around six o'clock and we were right here in the kitchen close by. We heard what we thought was gunshots, sounded like firecrackers going off, actually like a wolf pack," said Aaron English, who lives a few houses up from where the shooting happened. "Step outside to go see what was happening we saw the car pulled over and police had it surrounded at that point yelling to the remaining person to put the gun down."

The Washington County Coroner's Office identified the man as Dennis Fonoimoana, 26.

Troopers and police had Main Street and Westland Road blocked off for hours Saturday night as they investigated.

Authorities have not identified the trooper who fired their weapon, but they are now on administrative duties, per state police policy. There was also no additional information about the driver of the vehicle.

Court records show Fonoimoana has had several traffic violations dating back to 2015 and several retail theft charges dating back to 2017.

Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh responded to the scene and said the troopers involved were OK.

Witnesses tell Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 they heard at least one gunshot go off just before 6:15 p.m.

The coroner's office confirmed Fonoimoana was pronounced dead at the scene around 8:03 p.m.

State police: Trooper fatally shoots man during traffic stop in Washington County

Police said the man showed a firearm and would not drop the weapon.

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