A police officer killed while responding to a domestic disturbance in a small eastern Pennsylvania borough had pointed a stun gun at two dogs before being shot, court records reveal. Continue reading after the jump.
Freemansburg police officer Robert Lasso had pointed at the attacking dogs when the homeowner pulled out a shotgun and fired the fatal blast on Thursday evening.
In police custody, the alleged gunman, 46-year-old George Hitcho Jr, said he had told Mr Lasso to get off his property and not come on unless he had a warrant, authorities said.
‘He tried to kill my dogs and pointed a gun in my face,’ Hitcho said, according to the documents. ‘I do not care if you a cop or not …Unbelievable.’
The officer had been responding to a report of a disturbance and ended up at the back of Hitcho’s house, authorities said.
Police Chief George Bruneio, who arrived after Mr Lasso requested assistance, instructed him to ‘shoot the dogs’ and that’s when the homeowner pulled out a shotgun and fired, authorities said.
Mr Lasso, 31, a married father of two, was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett has ordered flags in the Capitol complex and in Northampton County to be flown at half-staff to honour Mr Lasso.
Mr Lasso’s family said they were devastated.
‘Robert, he was so good,’ said his mother, Elsie Stem. ‘He was so loved, especially by his kids. Now they have to grow up without a daddy. It’s not fair.’
Mr Lasso’s funeral will be held on Tuesday. Yesterday a procession was held in his memory as his body was transported from hospital to a funeral home.
Will Hitcho be charged with anything? He DID tell the cop to stay away without a warrant. I’m not agreeing or disagreeing. However, if I walked up on someone’s property and pointed a gun at their dogs, I would expect to get shot at.
I also agree the Policeman should have stayed out of the property, unless now the Constitution of the United States does not apply anymore.
Its more to this story than whats being reported. The man is a drunken drug addict whom the cop arrested before on drug charges. He beat his wife and kid and harasses people in the neighborhood. He always trying to scare people with all those damn dogs and always bragging about his guns. The person who was in distress said the officer saved his life because hitcho was threatening to kill him which is why he called the cops. They guys were drinking and drugging and it got real crazy because he turned on his visitor.
either way this is a sad story..