Coroner identifies Allegheny County man killed in 'police-involved shooting' in North Huntingdon
Sep. 6—An Allegheny County man was identified as the person who was killed Tuesday in North Huntingdon during a narcotics investigation involving agents from the state Attorney General's office.
Dontae D. Warner, 30, of McKeesport "became involved in an interaction with multiple police departments" and died in the parking lot of the Huntingdon Inn Motel on Route 30, Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson said in a news release.
Warner's cause and manner of death was pending an autopsy Wednesday but Carson termed the investigation as a "police-involved shooting."
Members of the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office will determine if the use of deadly force was justified, according to a statement. Relatives of Warner could not be reached Wednesday.
It remains unclear what happened before the 1:50 p.m. shooting and for what agency or department those involved with the shooting work. No officers were hurt.
A spokesman for the state Attorney General's Office said agents fired their weapons. No additional information was released Wednesday by state police or the offices of the Attorney General or Westmoreland County District Attorney.
As the incident unfolded, a large contingent of police cars was parked in front of the Huntingdon Inn Motel, just west of the intersection of Carpenter Lane and Route 30. The situation affected Route 30 traffic for more than an hour and a nearby elementary school was placed on a modified lockdown after being notified by township police of a "community threat."
The situation was reported by police to be under control by 2:40 p.m.
Warner had some run-ins with the law in the past, including a couple probation and jail terms related to drug, resisting arrest and receiving stolen property offenses in separate Allegheny County cases, according to court records. He was awaiting a nonjury trial next month in connection with a March 25 incident at the Enclave night club on Pittsburgh's South Side.
City police said they saw Warner fight with night club staff members and threaten to harm them. He is accused of fleeing from police, according to court papers. They found him hiding underneath a vehicle at the intersection of South 17th and Roland streets. He was charged with terroristic threats, evading detention, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness.
The Huntingdon Inn Motel is owned by Hitesh Mehta, who purchased it in 2007, according to documents filed with the Westmoreland County Recorder of Deeds.
It was the second time someone has been fatally shot by police in two months in Westmoreland County. Ligonier Township police on July 2 killed Robbie Thomas Saunders, 59, as he approached them with a machete. Two officers were investigating a reported domestic situation at his Gravel Hill Road home.
The shooting was ruled justified by District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli.
Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Renatta by email at rsignorini@triblive.com or via Twitter .
