South Park man shot by Mon City police officer released from hospital, jailed
A South Park Township man who was shot in the stomach by a Monongahela police officer this month has been released from a hospital, jailed and denied bond because he’s considered a threat to the community, court records show.
District Judge Anthony L. DeLuca arraigned the suspect, Joshua Dewayne Burton, 29, in Allegheny County late Friday in separate cases, one involving an alleged statement he made in the hospital about shooting police during rampages.
Burton was taken Aug. 3 to UPMC-Mercy hospital in Pittsburgh after an unnamed Monongahela police officer shot him in the stomach during a fight they had following a police pursuit that ended on a narrow road in South Park Township.
A Monongahela police officer had attempted to stop Burton’s car about 2:30 a.m. after it pulled out of a Finleyville bar without its headlights activated. Police were in the area after receiving a tip that someone was selling cocaine in the bar.
The chase came to an end on Edgewood Street where Burton’s car struck a parked vehicle and spun around into a house.
The Monongahela officer chased after Burton on foot, catching him within a short amount of time. Burton is accused of striking the officer several times, sending him to the ground. Burton allegedly continued to strike the officer until they both fell over a four-foot wall, Allegheny County police stated in the affidavit.
The officer, who was knocked to the ground again, tried to no avail to subdue Burton with a stun gun.
The officer told investigators he drew his semi-automatic firearm and shot Burton once because “he was in fear for his life.”
The officer suffered abrasions and lacerations to his head, forearms and hands, the affidavit indicates.
DeLuca ordered Burton to be held on $150,000 bail in that case on charges of aggravated assault and resisting arrest. A ruling has yet to be made as to whether or not the shooting of Burton was justified.
Allegheny County police charged Burton with making terroristic threats and disorderly conduct on Aug. 8 over remarks he made three days earlier to Officer Scott Moffat, who was guarding him in Mercy.
Moffat said Burton became angry after being denied the use of a phone and said he understood why people shoot police, that he would shoot up the police station and “splatter (Moffat’s) head all over the dashboard,” according to charging documents.
Burton faces a preliminary hearing in the Monongahela case at 8:30 a.m. Aug. 21 before District Judge Michael Thatcher in Pleasant Hills Borough.