WESTMORELAND COUNTY, Pa. — One person was taken to a hospital Wednesday night after an officer-involved shooting at a Westmoreland County gas station, police said.
Police responded just after 8 p.m. to the Marathon gas station on William Penn Highway in Murrysville on a report of a man making threatening remarks.%
%
The Murrysville police chief said the clerk called police after the man entered the gas station’s convenience store and threatened to get a gun because he was unable to pay for gas.
When officers arrived, the man walked out of the store and began shooting, the police chief said. He said officers exchanged gunfire with the man, striking him multiple times. No officers were hurt.
The man was taken to Allegheny General Hospital. The police chief said the man, identified Thursday as 27-year-old Jesse Callender of Colorado, underwent surgery.
A Channel 11 News photographer at the scene said Dick’s Diner, which is next to the gas station, had a shattered window. No one inside the diner was hurt, officials said.
Callender’s mother, Rebecca Callender, spoke with Channel 11 News Thursday by phone from Allegheny General Hospital. She said her son was trying to drive back to Colorado but had no money for gas.
According to Rebecca Callender, her son suffered damage to his intestines and colon and was in critical condition on Thursday.
Channel 11 News learned that an hour before the shootout, Jesse Callender posted to Facebook, saying: “My bag of change was stolen in Keyser. I am down to 72 cents. You are all dead.”
His mother said nothing was stolen from her son, who she said suffers from schizophrenia and needs help. She said help is not available for those with mental illnesses.
“He is not a bad kid. Let police know they need to treat mental health,” Rebecca Callender said.
Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/XCUXZC2XYZHCRGNNGKFEX6U3LQ.png)
