North Union man fatally shot by state police
Roberto M. Esquivel|Herald-Standard
Pictured is the home of Shawn E. Knight, 50, located at 52 Rose Boulevard in North Union Township, where state police responded to a domestic disturbance Friday evening. Knight died following an officer-involved shooting with two troopers.
Roberto M. Esquivel|Herald-Standard
A family friend who asked not be identified holds a recent photo of Shawn E. Knight holding his grandson. Knight died Saturday morning following an officer-involved shooting that occurred at his home in North Union Township Friday night. State police were at the Rose Boulevard residence in response to a domestic dispute reported to 911.
State police in Uniontown are investigating a trooper-involved shooting in which a North Union Township man was killed late Friday.
At around 10:40 p.m., Fayette County 911 called state troopers from the Uniontown barracks to respond to a domestic dispute at 52 Rose Boulevard.
Police said when they arrived and tried to enter the home, they encountered Shawn E. Knight, 50, who police said had a handgun in each hand. The officers retreated from the residence and took cover outside, police said.
According to police reports, Knight followed the troopers outside, and when he failed to comply with verbal commands, police fired several shots, mortally wounding Knight.
Knight’s family declined to comment Saturday. As reporters gathered in front of the home, a truck pulled up and the driver said the family called him to address the media. He went inside the home to talk with them for several minutes, and when he came out, he gave a statement on their behalf.
The man, who said he has been close friends with Knight for years, said, “The statement police are giving is not accurate.”
Knight had a dispute with one of his daughters Friday night, the man said, and someone in the home called police. The man said that before police arrived, the disagreement was settled. When the troopers showed up, the man said Knight’s daughter and wife met the officers at the door to tell them the dispute had been resolved.
Knight kept weapons in his home for self-protection, the man said.
The man’s account of what occurred next, according to what he was told by the Knight family, differed from what police said. The man said the family believes police acted to fire their weapons too quickly.
According to the friend, Knight was a former Marine whom he described as “a great guy” who would do anything for his neighbors. He said he worked with Knight in the Marcellus gas industry and that Knight was the first friend he made when he moved here several years ago. “He did not deserve this,” the man said.
The man said Knight had two daughters and two sons, as well as an infant grandson who was present during the incident. “What if the baby had been shot?” he said and expressed dismay over the notion that Knight’s family were first-hand witnesses to the incident.
District Attorney Jack R. Heneks Jr. said an investigation into the matter is being conducted. He said the account given by the Knight family’s spokesman is not consistent with information he has learned from the investigation thus far.
Heneks said the police are in the process of retrieving video surveillance footage from another home on the same street which may reveal what happened from outside the home. Additionally, Heneks said the Knights had their own security camera on their house which investigators have obtained for review. He said police will also look at footage from any police vehicles equipped with video cameras for information.
Heneks said no charges have been filed in the matter, and the autopsy has not yet been conducted.
The two troopers involved in the shooting, who have not identified, are on administrative duty, as per department regulations, police said.
Kristen Brownfield, who lives next door to the Knights, said she, her husband and their 2-year-old were in their bedroom on the side of the house adjacent to the Knights’ property when they heard muffled arguing.
“Then we heard five or six shots,” Brownfield said, followed by a girl screaming and saying, “What did you do?”
Brownfield said her husband told her to take the baby to the basement and lie down on the floor for safety, because they were not sure who was shooting or why. She said her husband called 911, and the dispatcher told them police were already on the scene.
“They seem like they’re nice people,” said Brownfield of the Knights. She said in the three years her family has lived there, she had heard arguing coming from the Knights’ house before, but nothing serious. “I feel so bad for the family,” she said.
Across the street from the Knights lives Matt Hixson, who said he’s lived there for several years and is friendly with the Knights.
“I don’t think what happened should have happened,” Hixson said. “Everyone should have kept a cooler head.”