Acts Of Bravery Discovered While Investigating Canonsburg Shooting

CANONSBURG (KDKA) -- Authorities found numerous acts of bravery while investigating the shootings of two Canonsburg police officers.

Patrolman Scott Bashioum was responding to a domestic violence call when he was gunned down outside a residence on Woodcrest Drive.

Even though he was shot twice by a high powered rifle, Bashioum managed to shoot back.

"He emptied his duty magazine, striking multiple rounds in and through the window from which he was shot at," said Canonsburg Police Chief Alexander Coghill.

When Patrolman James Saieva arrived, he was shot while sitting in his patrol car, also by Michael Cwiklinski. By then, supervisor Sgt. Donald Cross found two officers wounded.

"Responding supervisor Sgt. Donald Cross arrived on scene moments later and saw Patrolman Bashioum on the ground and moved his patrol vehicle through the line of fire close to the fallen officer, where he drug him partially into his vehicle," Chief Coghill said.

Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter

Sgt. Cross was assisted by Sgt. Matthew Collins from Peters Township and Sgt. John Holt from Cecil Township getting the wounded Patrolman Bashioum in a car and to the hospital, where he later died. He also had to drive through a line of fire to get Patrolman Saieva in a police cruiser before he was rushed to the hospital.

Meanwhile, police say Cwiklinski loaded his car with gasoline, propane and acetylene tanks and fired several shots at the vehicle hoping it would explode. Authorities later discovered Cwiklinski had more propane and a lit acetylene torch inside the residence, but nothing was ignited.

"To be honest with you...once the robot got inside with the air getting into the residence it dissipated things, I don't think it happened the way he planned it," Chief Coghill said.

The Allegheny County Bomb Squad neutralized the potential explosives. Once inside, authorities found Cwiklinski and his wife, Dalia Sabae, both dead from gunshot wounds. Since then, investigators have met with Cwiklinski's family.

"They were remorseful, saddened, they've lost a loved one, also never saw anything like this coming, they're beside themselves," Chief Coghill said.

Authorities say they still don't know what set Cwiklinski off, no notes were left behind and they're hoping maybe that will come out later in the investigation.

For now, they're focused on providing comfort and support for the officers' families.