Shots fired at officers serving homicide warrant in Pittsburgh's St. Clair section

A 41-year-old man in Pittsburgh's St. Clair neighborhood fired at police serving a homicide warrant Thursday morning before turning the gun on himself, authorities said.

The incident began about 8 a.m. when members of the Western Pennsylvania Fugitive Task Force, headed by U.S. Marshals, approached a home on Engstler Street, according to Pittsburgh police Cmdr. Vic Joseph.

Jason James, 41, was pronounced dead at 10:34 a.m. when officials found him unresponsive inside the residence, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's office said.

The arrest warrant was for James, though Joseph would not say which homicide he was suspected in.

“As the task force approached, they took on gunfire from inside the residence — shots were fired at the officers,” Joseph said. “Thankfully, none of the officers were hit.”

No task force members returned fire.

Officers retreated and the SWAT team responded to the scene, Joseph said. A brief attempt at negotiations failed. SWAT officers entered the home and found James dead in an apparent suicide.

Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich said the narrow streets and close houses made for tricky maneuvering, and several nearby homes were evacuated.

Staff writer Natasha Lindstrom contributed. Megan Guza and Nate Smallwood are Tribune-Review staffers.