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Off-duty Pa. officer shot multiple times

The officer was critically wounded Sunday when a shooting erupted during a block party

By Bob Bauder
The Tribune-Review

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Pittsburgh police identified an off-duty police officer who was critically wounded early Sunday when a shooting erupted during a block party in Homewood.

Officer Calvin Hall, 36, was shot multiple times around 1:30 a.m. and remained in critical condition Sunday afternoon at an undisclosed hospital, according to the Pittsburgh Public Safety Department.

Police said possibly more than one party was going on in the 7300 block of Monticello Street and residents were in homes and on the street when an argument took place and the shooting happened.

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Hall, a two-year veteran of the Pittsburgh Police Bureau, was there visiting friends, according to a public safety official.

Hall, who was sworn in as a city officer on Dec. 4, 2017, was hand-picked to work in the Northview Heights police substation because of his career-long dedication to community outreach, according to police.

Sgt. Joseph Lewis, who heads the Northview Heights Public Safety Center, said he recruited Hall because of his positive attitude and ability to relate to all people from all walks of life.

“He was born and raised in the City of Pittsburgh and his ways of connecting to the community and to other officers were extremely beneficial for what we’re trying to do in Northview Heights,” Lewis said. “He is always positive, always upbeat. I approached him and said, ‘I want you up here because of your personality and the way you interact with the community.’ He’s always smiling, always positive.”

An investigation is ongoing and police are seeking help from the public in identifying the shooter.

Anyone with information should call police at (412) 323-7800.

Police said several potential witnesses who were near the shooting scene were detained for questioning.

©2019 The Tribune-Review (Greensburg, Pa.)

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