Police honor slain officers in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH, April 9 (UPI) -- Police said a memorial Thursday in Pittsburgh was intended to honor the three officers killed during a recent standoff with an armed suspect.

Pittsburgh Police Sgt. Leo O'Neill praised the appearance of officers from cities such as Washington and Toronto at the memorial for fallen Officers Paul Sciullo II, Eric G. Kelly and Stephen J. Mayhle, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said.

"It's great to see them here," O'Neill said of the visiting police officers.

Schiullo, and Mayhle were fatally shot on April 4 while responding to a domestic disturbance call at a Pittsburgh home. Police allege the officers were shot by 22-year-old Richard Poplawski, who then allegedly shot Kelly and held police at bay for nearly four hours.

Two additional officers suffered serious gunshot wounds during the standoff, which ended when police managed to take Poplawski into custody.

John Anderson, a retired police officer from Wilkinsburg, Pa., said Thursday's memorial showed how tragedy can unite people.

"I see the New York City Bagpipe Corps is here," he told the Post-Gazette. "You just see how people come together in a tragedy."