Community stands together after death of local police officer
A shooting in Canonsburg Nov. 10 around 3 a.m., which left one police officer dead, one wounded and two others dead was the result of a domestic violence issue. The officers reported to the scene in response to a 911 call at 3:13 a.m.
Local Canonsburg police officer, Scott Bashioum, lost his life due to an “ambushed” shooting, officials said. Both Bashioum and the second officer, who was later revealed as James Saieva Jr., were said to be fired at immediately after arriving at the duplex.
Bashioum, 52, a father of four, died shortly after being taken to Canonsburg Hospital. He was a seven-year police veteran. The second officer, Saieva, was flown to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh where he was in stable condition after having surgery. Saieva is currently re-stabilizing in the hospital “through good spirits,” according to WTAE.
The officers originally were called to the scene due to a domestic dispute involving 47-year-old Michael Cwiklinsky. According to WTAE, Cwiklinsky’s name was familiar to the police department as he had been involved in numerous cases and calls within the past month, including those of domestic abuse and public belligerence.
Cwiklinsky is the suspected shooter of both police officers with the use of a high-powered rifle. According to Trib Live, the suspected rifle was shot from the second story window of the building that the officers were responding to at the time.
Upon investigating the scene, Cwiklinsky was dead due to a self-inflicted gun-shot. His wife, Dalia Sabae, 28, was also found dead. Sabae was believed to be 3-months pregnant at the time of the incident, according to WTAE.
After the incident, many members of Canonsburg and the surrounding communities had come together in support.
There have been numerous social media posts, as well as a laser beam of blue light shooting into the sky in Canonsburg in honor of the fallen officer.
Since the shooting, funeral visitations have been set in stone for Bashioum. According to the Tribune Review, the visitation for the Canonsburg Officer was from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at the Beinhauer Funeral Home in Peters Township.
His funeral occurred yesterday, Nov. 16, at noon at the Church of the Covenant in Washington, Pennsylvania.
Multiple businesses in the Washington and Canonsburg area held special events in honor of the event that took Bashioum’s life. The McDonalds in Washington gave out free coffee to police officers.Additionally, the Primanti Bro’s in Canonsburg donated 10 percent of their day’s proceeds to the fallen officer’s family.
Another event that took place in honor of Bashioum was a funeral procession yesterday, Nov. 16.
The Observer-Reporter predicted the traffic from the processional would last for over eight hours due to over 1,000 police cars taking part in
the event.