Standoff ends early Wednesday in Canonsburg
From left, Amanda Snatchko, Travis Bush, Denver Findley and Tonaiya Carr
Local police and SWAT officers are shown at the scene of a standoff on Smith Street in Canonsburg late Tuesday. The situation ended peacefully early Wednesday.
This Canonsburg house was the scene of a standoff, which began Tuesday night and ended early Wednesday.
Amanda Snatchko
Devan Byrd
Tonaiya Carr
Travis Bush
Denver Findley
Canonsburg police said four people are facing robbery charges after a standoff that ended early Wednesday, and the alleged victim of the purported crime was taken into custody on two bench warrants.
Tonaiya Carr, 19, of 155 Smith St., Canonsburg, and Denver Findley, a 16-year-old who is being charged as an adult, of 149 DiCio St., Canonsburg, were arraigned Wednesday morning before District Judge Larry Hopkins on charges of robbery, conspiracy, reckless endangerment and simple assault. They were placed in Washington County jail on $500,000 bonds. Travis Bush, 27, and Amanda Snatchko, 25, both of 157 Smith, were arraigned Wednesday by District Judge David Mark on robbery charges. Snatchko also faces conspiracy, reckless endangerment and simple assault charges. She is in jail on $500,000 bond.
Police plan to file more charges, including weapons violations, terroristic threats and reckless endangerment, against Bush, who is in jail on $750,000 bond.
The alleged victim, Devan Byrd, 20, of 208 W. College St., Canonsburg, was put in jail on two bench warrants from separate cases after he failed to appear in Washington County Court. He was charged last December by state police with possession of a controlled substance and underage drinking. Byrd was charged in May, also by state police, with simple assault and possession of marijuana.
Chief Al Coghill said police were called to Byrd’s West College home when he reported the robbery just before 7 p.m. Byrd told police that Carr had knocked on the door of his home and all four suspects entered the residence.
“At this point, we are not sure if they forcibly entered the residence or were allowed in,” Coghill said. “Bush held a gun to Byrd’s head while the others ransacked the residence. They kept demanding his ‘weed.'”
Byrd told one of the responding officers that he gave Bush $250. The 20-year-old also told police that other items stolen included a DVD player, 12-inch water bong, digital scale and a black backpack containing a house key and two Mickey Mouse sweaters. Byrd was able to identify Bush, Snatchko and Carr, but said he did not know the other alleged culprit.
The four suspects then left, threatening to harm Byrd if he called police, the chief added. The four fled on foot to the house shared by Bush and Snatchko, police said. When police arrived, Snatchko was seen leaving the residence and was taken into custody.
The incident prompted a response by the Washington County Regional SWAT team, as well as the SHACOG Community Emergency Response team, which responded to assist Canonsburg police along with officers from Chartiers, North Strabane and Cecil townships, Houston and state police.
“We set up a perimeter around the house,” Coghill said. “One of the North Strabane officers spotted, through the door, a suspect holding a gun at the corner of the house. They refused to come out, and the one who had his hands on the gun shut the door.
“That is when we treated it as a standoff,” the chief added. “Our first priority was to evacuate about a half dozen homes where the residents could be in the line of fire.”
Carr and Findley came out of the house a few hours later, after the SWAT teams shot tear gas into the home. Bush came out of the house about 1 a.m. after being persuaded to surrender by a family member, Coghill said.
“The two SWAT teams really did an exceptional job,” Coghill said. “This is the second time they have been deployed here in the last few weeks.”
The teams also were called for the domestic dispute on Woodcrest Road in which Canonsburg Officer Scott Bashioum was killed and Officer James Saieva was wounded when shot by Michael Cwiklinski. Cwiklinski also killed his estranged wife, Dalia Sabae, who was three months pregnant with their son, before turning the gun on himself.
Bush did not have a gun when he surrendered. Police obtained a search warrant for the home on Smith, recovering a Glock handgun along with a scale, green glass bong, DVD player and suspected marijuana. Coghill said police also found a vehicle that had been reported stolen in Cecil that Bush may have been driving.
Coghill said the outcome was one police always hope for, the end of an incident with no injuries.
“In this incident, we had time on our side,” Coghill said.
“This department offers a high level of protection,” Mayor David Rhome added. “But residents need to be vigilant. If they see something that doesn’t look right, call 911.”
The four charged in the robbery are scheduled for a Jan. 4 preliminary hearing.