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Homicide detectives, Allegheny County DA continue investigating death of Brackenridge police chief

ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — County homicide detectives on Wednesday laid out a play-by-play of the events that took place in Brackenridge when police Chief Justin McIntire was shot and killed in the line of duty.

“Swan [the suspect] covered a lot of geography and there are some issues with the person he was with and I want explored,” said Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala.

Zappala retraced the steps of Aaron Swan Jr. as he made his way through Brackenridge, eventually killing McIntire on Jan. 2.

PHOTOS: Funeral for fallen Brackenridge Police Chief Justin McIntire

“It’s just very sad, and I can tell you about Swan — we like him as a gun trafficker, we like him as a thief, and his associate with him, we are going to look to see if he was complicit in the murder and the shooting of Officer Schrecengost,” Zappala said.

Tarentum Officer Jordan Schrecengost was shot that day and survived.

That accomplice has not been charged, but Channel 11 did obtain exclusive video as he was taken into custody.

The DA said the two separated outside of the Devil’s Dog Saloon, where there is video and audio that is part of this investigation.

That location was one of six crime scenes this group visited on Wednesday. The group also stopped to check on a Brackenridge officer officially back on the street.

“He’s dealing with this. I mean for the people in Brackenridge this is just traumatic, I don’t know how to explain it more than that,” Zappala said.

While this community grieves, county leaders are hoping to make changes that will help these officers in the future.

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“As we move forward and look at this it’s obviously not the result we want, the best we can do in the circumstances and how do we improve. So one thing I asked was with only four officers responding initially it’s not hard to conceive a scenario where he gets behind you and that’s what he did he got behind them and got up here and wound up in Pittsburgh,” Zappala said.

The DA said he will be looking at potentially investing in some technology to help give this area an extended perimeter which he believes could help in future situations.

Zappala hopes to say if charges will come to Swan’s accomplice in a few weeks.

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