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Unclear if man who killed Lower Burrell officer shot self

PITTSBURGH — Autopsies revealed that a Western Pennsylvania police officer and the gunman authorities say killed him both died of multiple gunshot wounds, but a coroner said today it was unclear if the gunman’s fatal wound, or any others, were self-inflicted.

Westmoreland County Coroner Kenneth Bacha said in a news release more investigation is needed to determine “which wounds were self-inflicted or inflicted by others” on 33-year-old Charles Post, of Lower Burrell.

Bacha determined Post died of gunshot wounds to the head, chest and abdomen, while the man he’s accused of killing, Lower Burrell police officer Derek Kotecki, 40, was shot in the head, left arm and abdomen.

Bacha’s news releases did not say how many wounds either man suffered, and the coroner’s staff said no more details would be released while the investigation is pending.

District Attorney John Peck contends Post shot Kotecki about 7 p.m. Wednesday when Kotecki was among the first officers to arrive at a Dairy Queen on Route 366. Police expected to arrest Post there on attempted homicide and other charges stemming from shooting in neighboring New Kensington earlier this month.

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