Pittsburgh pays tribute to 3 fallen officers on 11th anniversary of Stanton Heights ambush
Western Pennsylvania’s law enforcement leaders paid tribute Saturday morning to the three Pittsburgh police officers killed by a gunman during a Stanton Heights ambush 11 years ago.
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto joined Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich at the bureau’s Zone 5 station for a brief ceremony in honor of slain officers Paul Sciullo II, Stephen Mayhle and Eric Kelly for making “the ultimate sacrifice.”
“Lest we forget,” Peduto tweeted shortly before the event began, alongside photos of each officer.
Lest We Forget. pic.twitter.com/dfvJt4OTQP
— bill peduto (@billpeduto) April 4, 2020
One by one, Peduto, Hissrich and police officers from Zone 5 — the “Fightin’ Fifth,” the sign out front declares — laid a blue carnation beside the three bronze plaques memorializing each officer.
A blue-and-white floral wreath and single, lit white candle stood alongside each officer’s marker.
“Their courage, selflessness and dedication to the residents of Pittsburgh will never be forgotten,” Pittsburgh police posted to Twitter.
This morning, Mayor @billpeduto joined @PghPublicSafety Director Hissrich, @PghPoliceChief at @PghZone5 for a brief ceremony.
11 years ago, @PghPolice officers Eric Kelly, Stephen Mayhle & Paul Sciullo made the ultimate sacrifice to protect #Pittsburgh residents. Lest we forget. pic.twitter.com/Vy0L30li1D
— Office of the Mayor (@TheNextPGH) April 4, 2020
The ceremony happens every year at 7:03 a.m. — the time that the fallen officers responded to a report of a domestic disturbance on Fairfield Street.
Sciullo and Mayhle responded to the call near the end of their shifts on April 4, 2009. A woman wanted her son out of the house after an argument. As they walked through the door, the 22-year-old man opened fire on the pair.
Kelly was on his way home from his shift. He dropped off his daughter and rerouted to Fairdale Street to back up his fellow officers. He was shot as he pulled to the scene in his patrol car.
Lest we forget.
Eleven years ago, three @PghPolice officers were killed in the line of duty.
Officers Eric Kelly, Stephen Mayhle & Paul Sciullo made the ultimate sacrifice.
Their courage, selflessness and dedication to the residents of Pittsburgh will never be forgotten. pic.twitter.com/EEMAlIYkck— Pittsburgh Police (@PghPolice) April 4, 2020
This year’s 11th anniversary ceremony was noticeably smaller and less crowded than prior years, with stay-at-home orders in place statewide during the coronavirus pandemic.
Last year, for instance, on the 10th anniversary of the deadly ambush, the remembrance ceremony was attended by hundreds of police officers, members of the public and family members of the fallen officers who joined together in prayer.
Those who couldn’t be there this year shared remembrances via social media.
The Allegheny District Attorney’s Office posted a tribute on Twitter, as did local agencies such as the Bethel Park and Penn Hills police departments.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the officers’ families and friends, and members of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police on this eleventh anniversary. ??#FallenButNotForgotten
— Penn Hills Police Department (@PennHillsPolice) April 4, 2020
In the midst of all that is happening right now, please take a moment to honor Pittsburgh Police Officers Stephen Mayhle, Eric Kelly and Paul Sciullo, senselessly murdered 11 years ago tomorrow in the line of duty. pic.twitter.com/Mm8T7rSRL6
— AlleghenyCountyDA (@AlleghenyCoDA) April 3, 2020
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