Police confrontation in Lower Burrell ends with no arrests

After a brief confrontation on Tuesday, Lower Burrell police detained four people from a home on Vance Drive before later releasing them.

Lower Burrell Detective Steve Aulerich said no arrests were made, but police continue to investigate. He would not give a reason for the warrant’s execution.

Upon arrival, the detective said police announced on a bullhorn that they had a warrant and demanded the occupants “surrender the residence.” The unidentified occupants did so fairly immediately, Aulerich said.

He said the process was “slow and methodical.”

Candice Ansani, who lives a few doors down on Vance Drive, said she heard police yelling on bullhorns that they had a warrant and saw several SWAT-like vehicles near the home.

Later, she said she heard what sounded “like a bomb go off,” before police took out several people in handcuffs to the back of police cruisers.

Aulerich said the loud noise was a “distraction device” used by Westmoreland SWAT. He said he did not know why the device was used or what type it was.

Police cars had also visited the house about two weeks ago, Ansani said, and she had seen “a lot of coming and going” at the residence.

The whole ordeal lasted 30 to 40 minutes, she said.

Aulerich said there are “no concerns for safety in the community.”