Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

Happened out east. RIP...


Pa. Officer Fatally Shot Responding to DisturbanceAugust 12, 2011


A Freemansburg Borough (Pa.) Police officer was shot in the head, while attempting to subdue a man's two dogs after responding to a disturbance call Thursday afternoon.

Officer Robert Lasso was shot and killed at a home on New Street at about 5:15 p.m. After responding to the home of George Hitcho Jr., Officer Lasso and Police Chief George Bruneio were confronted by two dogs that attacked Officer Lasso. Chief Bruneio told the officer the shoot the dogs with his stun gun.

Hitcho, 46, reportedly then leveled his shotgun at the officer and fired, killing him. Chief Bruneio then ordered Hitcho to drop the gun, and arrested him. Nicole Radzievich of the Allentown Morning Call has the full details of the incident.

Hitcho Jr. appeared in court Friday morning and has been charged with one count of criminal homicide. No bail was granted. Apparently, Hitcho was known as a loud drinker, and his wife had filed a protective order against him in 2003. Sarah Cassi of The Express-Times reports that Jeanette requested the order after she claimed Hitcho grabbed her head during an argument and banged it against the floor.

Officer Lasso had served with the Freemansburg Borough Police Department for seven years. He is survived by his wife and two young children.

Source: Allentown Morning Call, The Express-Times

Police Magazine (http://www.policemag.com/Channel/Patrol/News/2011/08/12/Pa-Officer-Fatally-Shot-Responding-to-Disturbance.aspx?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:)

Absolutely horrible...

RIP...

Why the f**k is Hitcho still alive! He told him to drop the gun after he killed the officer? Jesus H. Christ!

Why the f**k is Hitcho still alive! He told him to drop the gun after he killed the officer? Jesus H. Christ!

That was my thought also but I didn't want to MMQB...You wonder if liability made him do that or he just didn't have it in him. I would think that would be a pretty easy decision though...

You wonder if liability made him do that or he just didn't have it in him. I would think that would be a pretty easy decision though...

Not much liability in shooting someone who just shot someone else right in front of you. I strongly suspect the latter. He's lucky that Hitcho didn't just make a decision to kill him too.

I know I've harped about that a lot here, but if you believe that every cop you work with will be able to shoot someone even if you've been shot, you're foolish. My experience many times has been that most can't. Always keep that in the back of your head.

I believe that 100%. I have heard stories of guys around here wussing out for less.

In this particular situation shooting the guy would seem to be a no brainer, but I guess none of us can REALLY say until put into that situation.

Wow! Absolutely horrible. Its a flipp'n dog and you're going to shoot someone for protecting themselves against your inability to control your pet!?!?!?! I certainly hope that the guy is living because of the Chief's inability to shoot and not some pc crap. I'm in no position to talk, but I think it would take incredible will-power to try to arrest anyone that just gun down a partner vs. just firing back.

Thoughts and prayers to the officer's family.

Why the f**k is Hitcho still alive! He told him to drop the gun after he killed the officer? Jesus H. Christ!
Not a LEO, but doesn't the guy not drawing the Taser provide lethal force cover for the other guy? Kind of sucks when your cover guy orders you to use the taser and then you get shot with the wrong tool in your hand. Even if he's not expecting a shooter, I would think he'd be at some sort of ready/guard position in case the dog wasn't affected by the Taser. Unless I'm missing something, there should be two dogs and a cop killer also dead. They should all be dead so the chief could aid his downed officer without worrying about taking Hitcho into custody or fighting the dogs. That's my MMQB and I hope I am wrong and the chief can look his officer's widow in the face and say he did everything he could. RIP.

All I know is, if someone has a gun in their hand and you stand there ordering them to drop it, remember that all they are thinking about is whether or not to shoot you. That's what's going through their mind. And that's especially true in an instance like this where he has already shot somebody. I have no doubt in my mind that this chief is alive only because this guy decided not to kill him.

I'm glad that it worked out the way it did and the chief is alive. I'm just ranting about this so you working guys will think about it. A lot of cops die with their guns in their hands because they did what this chief apparently did.

To me when you just watched your partner get shot in the face, arresting is out the window. The actor already made his intentions clear.

And why would you a TASER a dog? Pepper spray can be effective if you are carrying it but other than that I would just shoot it. I don't consider it option to TASER a vicious dog.

And why would you a TASER a dog? Pepper spray can be effective if you are carrying it but other than that I would just shoot it. I don't consider it option to TASER a vicious dog.
Kinda tough to refuse an order from the chief.

Kinda tough to refuse an order from the chief.

The problem isn't with the officer who tasered the dog, it's with the chief that issued the order.

The problem isn't with the officer who tasered the dog, it's with the chief that issued the order.
No doubt. I was pointing out that the article said the victim officer was given an order to use the taser regardless of how effective he thought it might be and it's hard to refuse those.

No doubt. I was pointing out that the article said the victim officer was given an order to use the taser regardless of how effective he thought it might be and it's hard to refuse those.

I was talking about the Chief as well...I'm not going to fault the guy for listening to his superior...

RIP. That's heart breaking.

My thoughts and prayers sent....RIP. :(