Shot Pittsburgh Police Officer Was Involved in Two Significant Local Incidents

A Pittsburgh police officer who was shot Friday morning almost was run over in a police chase that started in Point Breeze and ended in Verona last month, and he assisted during the 2011 Washington Boulevard flash flood that killed four people from the East Suburbs.

According to police, Officer Andrew Baker was responding to a domestic in Stanton Heights Friday when he was shot in the chest. Baker was not seriously injured by the gunfire because he was wearing a bullet-proof vest.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, this is Baker's fourth incident this year in which he narrowly escapes serious injury.

In September, Baker almost was run over on the Verona hilltop—around Third Street. Police had cornered Melvin Taylor Solomon, 41, in a one-way alley after a chase that began in Point Breeze, when Solomon put his vehicle in reverse, almost hitting Baker.

Baker, a five-year veteran officer, also has been honored with a Bureau Citation following his work during the August 2011 flash flood at Washington Boulevard in the City of Pittsburgh. Four locals— of Plum; and Mary Saflin of Oakmont—all died in the flood.

Tiant Rashaud Mitchell, 25, is facing charges after the Friday shooting. Police have charged him with attempted homicide, former felon to not possess a firearm, endangering the welfare of a child, failure to appear a warrant, two counts of simple assault, three counts of reckless endangerment of another person and three counts of aggravated assault.

Today also is the one-year anniversary of the death of Lower Burrel police Officer Derek Kotecki, who was shot and killed at the Dairy Queen on Greensburg Road (just near the Plum Borough border).

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