Cops shoot suspects in pair of separate incidents

Local law enforcement agencies are investigating two incidents -- one fatal -- in which a Pittsburgh police officer shot at a gunman.

The Allegheny County District Attorney's Office will determine whether a SWAT sniper was justified in killing an armed man in his North Point Breeze apartment after a nine-hour standoff. Meanwhile, city police continue searching for a man who attempted to rob a National City bank in Shadyside.

Lamar W. Smith, 29, barricaded himself in a North Point Breeze apartment early yesterday after an argument with his girlfriend, authorities said. The standoff ended shortly after noon, when a sniper shot Smith in his bathroom after Smith began walking, with guns in his hands, toward SWAT officers, police Chief Nate Harper said.

"The way he was aiming his gun, you could tell he was aiming for the officers' heads, as if he knew they were covered in body armor," said neighbor Kristen Minzey, whose home sits about 12 feet from Smith's apartment window.

"The officer was justified (in shooting)," Harper said. "It was an unfortunate situation. We send our condolences to the suspect's family."

Relatives of Smith said he was distraught over recent "turmoil" in his family and had a fight with his girlfriend just after 2 a.m. in the home they shared with their child.

When officers arrived, they spotted Smith sitting in a hallway with guns in both hands. He refused to drop the guns and ran up the stairs to his apartment.

SWAT officers and hostage negotiators were called because police originally feared his girlfriend was still in the apartment.

Officers periodically talked with Smith, but he kept hanging up the phone, police said. He began shooting at police about 6:30 a.m., officers said.

About the same time Smith was shot, an off-duty city police officer thwarted the Shadyside bank robbery.

The uniformed officer -- Steven N. Nave -- might have shot the robber as he fled down an alley behind the National City at Walnut and Ivy streets. The man, leaving a trail of blood, rounded the corner onto Elmer Street, where a witness told police he got into an older silver car, possibly a Toyota.

Nave was working as a security guard at the bank, assistant police Chief Maurita Bryant said. The man didn't see the officer until he was inside.

Nave and the man stood a few feet from each other, "face to face like a Mexican standoff," several officers said.

The man finally began moving back toward the door, his hand in his pocket, and told Nave, "Don't even think about it," Bryant said.

Nave followed as the man ran outside and into the alley, turning and firing at the officer, who returned fire.

The gunman fired twice more.

Bryant said it is unclear if Nave wounded the gunman or if he accidentally shot himself as he was running and turning to shoot.

There were no customers inside the bank at the time, police said. No one else was injured.

Police said the gunman is black, between 5 feet 8 and 5 feet 10, and stocky. He was wearing a brown hooded sweatshirt.

Police notified hospital to be on the lookout for someone seeking treatment for a gunshot wound.