Multiple Deaths Following Ambush Attack Against Canonsburg Police Officers: Woman Failed By Restraining Order
Multiple deaths have been reported following an ambush attack against Canonsburg Police Officers in the early hours of Thursday. A second officer has been wounded.
Around 3:15 a.m., two Canonsburg Police Officers arrived at a home on Woodcrest Drive for a domestic call when Michael Cwiklinski opened fire. Both officers were rushed to Canonsburg Hospital, but one was airlifted to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh.
One officer, Scott Leslie Bashioum, 52, was pronounced dead at the hospital, and it was also revealed that the shooter shot and killed his pregnant wife before turning the gun on himself just before 9:00 a.m.
Andy Sheehan, the other wounded officer, remains in the intensive care unit at Allegheny General Hospital from a gunshot wound to his stomach.
After the shooting, police advised everyone in the area to remain inside their homes and away from windows. Reporters were not allowed at the scene and remained at a nearby building until the scene was said to be safe. Some nearby neighbors were asked to leave as soon as possible. A neighbor described the scary event.
“It woke me from bed about 3:30, 4 o’clock this morning. I could hear what I thought was firecrackers and then I heard somebody say, ‘My partner’s down,’ or something like that. Then, all hell broke loose. I had my porch light on and he came and told us to turn the light off and stay put. Then, five minutes later, they came to the front door and asked us if we would leave ASAP.”
Police officer killed, another hurt in shooting near Pittsburgh https://t.co/WPWN1luYRx
— CNN (@CNN) November 10, 2016
The firearm used to ambush the police officers has not been identified yet. A firefighter explained the scene upon arrival.
“When it first started, one was bleeding badly. The shooter had everyone pinned down when they were trying to get him. I don’t know where he was shot.”
A local school, Canon-McMillan School District, has been canceled for the day. Chartiers-Houston School District was put on a two-hour delay, according to PennLive.
According to CBS Pittsburgh, Cwiklinksi’s wife had a Protection From Abuse against the shooter.
Psychology Today reiterates the effectiveness of a retraining order, or a Protection From Abuse. One study, for instance, shows an 85-percent effectiveness for those with a restraining order. A second study only showed about a 15-percent effectiveness, thus making it more likely to assume that only about half of those with a restraining order will benefit victims of domestic violence or abuse.
Further, they reveal five ways a person can benefit from a restraining order, and why they sometimes don’t work.
- Restraining orders work well for those who follow rules, or those who fear consequences. Unfortunately, most of the people who have a restraining order against themselves do not follow rules well.
- If the victim doesn’t always report acts of violence by the perpetrator, or if the victim fails to report restraining order violations, it sends mixed feelings to the “bad guy,” as well as the police. The victim must follow the restraining order rules, as well.
- The police do not always act quickly on restraining order violations, especially when it involves someone who falls victim of not following or reporting restraining order violations in the past. Oftentimes, the suspect is no longer around when a violation is reported, thus making it seem as if the report is a waste of time for cops.
- In some cases, restraining orders can make an already volatile situation even worse.
“You’re giving me a restraining order? I’ll give you a reason to give me a restraining order!”
Lastly, a restraining order shouldn’t always be the only safety guard against domestic violence. Sometimes, it is best for a victim to move away. Unfortunately, some victims “participate in their own murders” by failing to pay attention to the signs, relying on the flawed criminal justice system, or failing to trust their intuition.
The Inquisitr will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.
[Featured Image by Gene J. Puskar/AP Images]
