Canonsburg police detail fatal officer ambush
Canonsburg Police Chief Alex Coghill gives an update on the ambush that killed Canonsburg police Officer Scott Bashioum, as Mayor David Rhome looks on. Dalia Sabae also died when she was shot inside her home by her husband, Michael Cwiklinski, who then committed suicide. A second Canonsburg police was also wounded in the ambush.
Canonsburg police Sgt. Don Cross is being credited with using driving his vehicle through the line of fire twice during Thursday’s ambush to rescue two fallen Canonsburg police officers.
CANONSBURG – The Canonsburg police officer killed Thursday answering a domestic call was ambushed with shots fired from a second-floor window as he approached a residence on Woodcrest Drive.
Officers Scott L. Bashoium and James Saieva were ambushed outside the house at 120 Woodcrest by Michael Cwiklinski, who was firing a high-powered rifle. The 52-year-old Bashioum died a short time later at Canonsburg Hospital. Saieva was flown to Allegheny General Hospital, where he is listed in fair condition. Cwiklinski, 47, and his 28-year-old wife, Dalia Sabae, who was three months pregnant, were later found dead on the second floor of the home. She had a protection-from-abuse order against her husband.
Canonsburg police Chief Alexander Coghill said at a news conference held Saturday to lay out some details of the shooting that Bashioum got out of his car and walked toward the house. Saieva arrived to back him up.
“Bashioum was fired upon immediately from a second-floor window with a high-powered rifle and was hit twice,” Coghill said. “He returned fire, emptying his duty magazine, striking multiple rounds in and through the window. Saieva was struck by one round of a high-powered rifle as he was still in his patrol vehicle.
“Responding supervisor Sgt. Donald Cross arrived on scene moments later and saw Patrolman Bashioum on the ground. He moved his patrol vehicle through the line of fire close to the fallen officer, where he dragged him partially into his vehicle.”
Coghill said Peters Township Sgt. Matthew Collins and Cecil Township Sgt. John Holt helped Cross get Bashioum into the patrol vehicle. Bashioum was immediately taken to Canonsburg Hospital, where he later died.
Cross then drove another patrol vehicle through the line of fire to Saieva’s position, where he was seated on a curb. The two officers took cover behind a vehicle and Cross got Saieva into a patrol vehicle as Collins maintained cover for the officers as Cwiklinski fired at them. Saieva was transported to Canonsburg Hospital and then flown to the Pittsburgh hospital. Coghill said Saieva is in excellent spirits and hopes to be released from the hospital soon.
Cwiklinski also fired shots at a vehicle he had parked on the street in front of the house.
“Cwiklinski had previously loaded this vehicle with gasoline, propane and acetylene tanks,” Coghill said. “This vehicle was struck by at least two rounds, but did not ignite.”
Numerous departments along with the Washington Regional SWAT team arrived and surrounded the residence.
“Precaution was taken because of the previous explosive device and a robot was used to eventually make entry into the residence,” Coghill said. “Within the residence, more propane tanks were found along with a lit acetylene torch. The Allegheny County Bomb Squad was notified and rendered the vehicle and residence safe prior to entry by investigators.”
State police Cpl. Kiprian Yarosh, who is overseeing the investigation for state police said Cwiklinski was not living with Sabae at the time of the incident. Investigators are not sure how he entered the residence.
“The two propane tanks and lit acetylene torch made for a volatile situation that could have exploded,” Yarosh said. “We were lucky that once the robot entered inside, the fumes dissipated. Or had the vehicle been struck, it could have ignited. It would have been tragic.”
Yarosh said investigators talked with Cwiklinski’s family.
“His family is remorseful and saddened,” Yarosh said. “They never saw anything like this coming. They knew that he had guns, but never thought he’d do anything with them.”
Yarosh said Cwiklinski lived in the Washington County area for most of his life, but did travel, which is how he met his wife.
When asked about Sabae having a protection-from-abuse order, Yarosh advised anyone who gets one should abide by it.
“If it says stay away, stay away,” Yarosh said. “It may be hard to do, but you have to be smart about things and abide by what the court says.”
Canonsburg police will not be on patrol in the borough for the foreseeable future, Coghill said. Those duties are being handled by neighboring departments, including officers from Cecil, North Strabane and Peters townships, Houston, the Washington County sheriff’s department and state police. Coghill said state police will be on patrol in the borough during Wednesday’s funeral services for Bashioum.
Coghill said the department is grateful for all the support from the community and other law enforcement.
“This is one job that you never know what the day will bring,” Coghill said.
Bashioum’s funeral service will be at noon Wednesday at Church of the Covenant, 267 E. Beau St., Washington. Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at Beinhauer Funeral Home, 2828 Washington Road, Peters Township. Details of a procession from the church to the Cemetery of the Alleghenies, where Bashioum will be buried, are still being worked out, Coghill said. Once the plans are finalized, a time frame for the procession will be announced for anyone wanting to pay their respects along the route.
The Western Pennsylvania Police Benevolent Fund started an Officer Scott Bashioum Children’s Fund. Donations, which are tax deductible, can be made at branches of Washington Financial.