Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala released new evidence Friday in the killing of Brackenridge Police Chief Justin McIntire.
In an hour-long presentation, Zappala mapped shooter Aaron Swan's lengthy criminal history. He also released extensive details about Swan's run from police beginning New Year's Day, including the harrowing chase that eventually led to Swan's death.
Zappala said on Jan. 1, Swan was driving along Route 28 when State Police tried to pull him over for speeding. Swan refused to stop, leading the state trooper on a brief chase. The trooper stopped when the chase became too dangerous, but was still able to get the car's information.
The black Honda Civic belonged to a mechanic in the area. He told police he gave the car to Aaron Swan to test drive. Swan returned the car, but the mechanic told police Swan likely kept the spare key to later steal the car.
Swan had three outstanding warrants.
Police eventually tracked him to Harrison Township, then Brackenridge the next day. He had abandoned the Honda and took off on foot.
Swan was eventually spotted by Chief McIntire walking in between two homes on Third Ave. McIntire followed Swan and reached for his taser. Photos from the taser show Swan appear from behind a corner with his gun drawn.
Zappala said Swan fired four times. The first two shots hit McIntire in the hand and buttocks. As he was down, McIntire was shot twice in the head from 15 to 18 inches away.
There's no indication McIntire ever tried to draw his service weapon. The taser photos show the laser aimed directly at Swan's torso.
"Chief McIntire was ambushed and murdered," said Zappala. "I think he demonstrated everything that you want a police officer to do, and he had no intention of taking life. That's why everybody in the community loved him."
In the moments following the shooting, Swan attempted to rob a man of his truck at gunpoint outside a home on Morgan St., but the man wrestled the gun from him. As law enforcement surrounded he home, Swan ran into the garage, potentially leading law enforcement to believe Swan was cornered and unarmed.
Bodycam footage from Tarentum Officer Jordan Schrecengost shows him approach the garage and is immediately shot in the leg. Zappala says he is expected to recover.
Swan then ran to a home on Pacific Avenue. He entered the home and pointed a gun at a woman inside, demanding her car. He stole the Subaru Legacy and drove toward Pittsburgh, eventually crashing on Myrtle Ave. in Homewood.
Pittsburgh Police began their search, locating Swan in Heart Court.
Swan began firing at officers with a modified automatic weapon. Officers returned fire and killed Swan. Zappala said around 70 shots were fired between them.
Zappala played the shotspotter alert from those moments, which can be heard in the video above.
One of the officers involved in the shootout suffered a dislocated knee and other injuries from shrapnel.
Zappala said Swan had six guns on him throughout the day. He was not the legal owner of any of them. One was a straw purchase, while others were either stolen or could not be tracked.
Zappala believes officers were justified in killing Swan.
“There’s overwhelming justification for the officers to do what they did," he said.
McIntire's wife Ashely McIntire was in the room during Friday's presentation. She provided reporters with a written statement.
She said in part:
"Justin died doing what he loved and I know if he could do it over again he would, just to protect us and his town because that is how selfless of a man he was. He will always be our HERO."