Police investigate fatal officer-involved shooting on South Side Slopes

PITTSBURGH — A single bullet was left on Huron Street in the South Side Slopes — after a Pittsburgh police officer shot and killed Austyn Cousins early this morning.

According to police sources, Cousins was firing a gun from his roof, and had several weapons inside of his home.

“I heard what sounded like knocks on the door. Then shortly after within 10-15 minutes, I heard 5 absolute gunshots,” Christine Svitek, a neighbor, told Channel 11.

Christine Svitek lives across the street, and saw her neighbor dead in the middle of the street.

“I came and looked out my window, and saw a person lying in the street, and the police over top of him working on him. And then the paramedics came and put him on a gurney and ran him down the street,” she added.

County Police have taken over the investigation, and tell us that Pittsburgh officers responded to a Shot Spotter alert on Huron Street, and a call from neighbors about shots fired.

When officers got there, detectives say Cousins was outside. County Police would not give us any details on their interaction before the deadly shots were fired.

“Never in my wildest did I think I would be witnessing something like that so close to my home,” Svitek said.

Another neighbor, Fernando Ramirez told me he just had a conversation with Cousins the day before he was killed.

“‘If you need any help with anything call me’ he said, ‘I’ll give you a helping hand.’ He was nice. Yesterday I talked to him, and today he’s gone,” Ramirez said.

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