Crawshaw

PENN HILLS — A parolee wearing an electronic ankle bracelet fatally shot a man at his home over a $500 drug debt, then walked outside and opened fire on a patrol car, killing an officer awaiting backup, authorities said.

Penn Hills police Officer Michael Crawshaw, 32, was the first to respond to a 911 call made around 8:20 p.m. Sunday. Crawshaw was advised to wait in his patrol car because of past problems reported at the home and because dispatchers heard shots over the phone, Penn Hills Chief Howard Burton said.

Ronald Robinson, 32, opened fire with an assault rifle as he approached the car, Allegheny County Police Superintendent Charles Moffatt said Monday.

"He didn't go rushing in by himself; he wasn't (trying to be) a hero," Burton said of Crawshaw.

Robinson confessed to killing both men and told police he threw two guns in the nearby woods as he ran from the crime scene, according to a criminal complaint obtained at Robinson's arraignment. Police on Monday found a 7.62 mm Norenko MAK 90 assault rifle and a 9mm Ruger handgun in the woods, the complaint said.

The officer's weapon was removed from his holster, showing that he might have been able to draw his pistol and fire a shot, Moffatt said. Police are still investigating.

Robinson fired at least nine shots at the officer, Moffatt said. An autopsy determined two shots hit Crawshaw in the left arm and a fatal shot hit him in the head, near his left eye, according to the complaint. The man in the house, Danyal Morton, 40, died of several gunshot wounds.

Robinson told police he shot both men with the assault rifle, and that he fired at Crawshaw after the officer saw him come out of the home and told him to stop, the complaint said.

Robinson of Pittsburgh was charged with two counts of criminal homicide, four weapons charges, and one count each of burglary and robbery for allegedly bursting into Morton's home and demanding money from him, the complaint said.

Police said Lamar Jay, 25, who lived with Morton, identified Robinson as the gunman. Jay heard several gunshots after Robinson went upstairs to confront Morton. After finding Morton dead, Jay went outside and began yelling that someone had been killed in his bathroom, the complaint said. Jay declined comment when contacted by The Associated Press.Robinson agreed to meet police for questioning about 4 a.m. Monday, Moffatt said. He did not appear with an attorney at a video arraignment before a Pittsburgh District Judge on Monday.The judge set a preliminary hearing for Dec. 11 and ordered Robinson held without bond.Robinson had agreed to go to the police station after being contacted by authorities, who had tracked him down because he was on parole and wearing an electronic ankle bracelet.Robinson had been under supervision since 2007 for a firearms conviction, but was due to complete his sentence Feb. 24, said Leo Dunn, a spokesman for the state Board of Probation and Parole Department.Dunn said Robinson, who has an arrest record for drug and firearms charges, did have parole violations, but he was not able to discuss them.

Robinson