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Western PA Officers Shooting Suspect ID'd, Arrested By US Marshals: Authorities

The man accused of shooting act law enforcement officers in western Pennsylvania on Feb. 27, 2023— which sent multiple schools into lockdowns— has been identified and arrested authorities announced on Thursday, March 16, 2023.

Sto-Rox Junior-Senior High School.

Sto-Rox Junior-Senior High School.

Photo Credit: Google Maps (Street View)

Eric Nathaniel Durah Jr., 25, was arrested at his Penn Hills home on March 16, according to the release. 

No law enforcement officers were hurt when he allegedly opened fire at  "agents and task force officers with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General (PAOAG) Narcotics Task Force were following a narcotic suspect’s vehicle in unmarked vehicles," around 1:45 p.m. on Feb. 27, 2023, according to the release. 

Other occupants were in his vehicle when it "suddenly stopped on Lower Benwood Avenue in Stowe Township" and they "exited the vehicle and fired upon one of the unmarked law enforcement vehicles. An agent and a task force officer, employed by the McKees Rocks Police Department, returned fire at the suspects," as stated in the release by county officials. 

"A second PAOAG agent in another unmarked vehicle followed the suspect vehicle out of the neighborhood onto Tunnel Way, Island Avenue, Chartiers Avenue, and West Carson Street. While being followed, the occupants of the suspect vehicle fired multiple rounds at the second agent’s unmarked vehicle," the county officials said.

Sto-Rox Junior Senior High School was placed on lockdown during the incident. 

Durah's vehicle was later recovered in the City of Pittsburgh’s Mt. Washington neighborhood.

Allegheny County Police obtained an arrest warrant for Durah and he was apprehended by US Marshals with assistance from Allegheny County Police SWAT team. 

Durah has been charged with 10 counts of aggravated assault, criminal attempt homicide of a law enforcement officer, assault of a law enforcement officer, arson, and a firearm violation, according to the release.

He has been held in the Allegheny County Jail awaiting arraignment.

He has a criminal record for drug and firearm possession and served time after entering a guilty plea for firearms charges and fleeing from police in 2017, court records show. 

Anyone with information concerning the shooting incident is asked to call the Allegheny County Police tip line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS (1-833-255-8477.

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