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Hundreds Attend Visitation For Fallen Canonsburg Officer

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Visitation began on Monday to remember a Canonsburg police officer who was shot and killed in the line of duty last week.

Hundreds of people are expected to gather Wednesday at the Beinhauer Funeral Home in Peters Township to remember Officer Scott Bashioum.

On Monday, visitation began and mourners by the hundreds - including firefighters, patrolmen, medics, and other first responders - came by to honor Officer Bashioum.

Dozens of officers directed traffic along Route 19 and several buses shuttled visitors from a staging area to the funeral home down the road.

"Everybody's extremely upset, especially the officers in my department and the surrounding departments," said Canonsburg Police Chief Alexander Coghill. "This is something that galvanizes us all as a brotherhood. However, the support from the public has just been unbelievable."

Officer Bashioum was responding to a domestic dispute when Michael Cwiklinski fired several shots from a second-floor window. Officer Bashioum was taken to Canonsburg Hospital, where he later died.

A second officer, James Saieva Jr., was also wounded in the incident but is recovering. Cwiklinski later killed his pregnant wife, and then turned the gun on himself.

"We have an officer who was injured, and we have a victim of a domestic violence also who suffered a horrible death also at this man's hands," said Chief Coghill.

Throughout Canonsburg, signs and blue ribbons display a notion of unity.

A memorial shrine at the Municipal Building continues to grow and a bright blue beam of light from the Canonsburg Presbyterian Church pierces the night sky.

"When the chips are down people get behind each other, they embrace each other and it just makes recovery of what might be an easier day here for each and everyone one of us," said Canonsburg Mayor David Rhome.

Mayor Rhome expects the funeral will draw police officers from all over the country.

"The procession that's going to come down through the main street of Canonsburg, our understanding is there will be thousands of police cars in attendance," he said.

Officer Bashioum's funeral is scheduled at noon at the Church of the Covenant in Washington. A second visitation will be held Tuesday.

But it is after the funeral and in the years to come that Bashioum's wife, Ashley, and kids will need support. To that end, friends are rallying.

"Very, very hard, he was such a great guy, our kids played ball together. My kids go to school with his and her kids. It's hard, you know," said family friend, Nicholle Hollenbach.

Officer Bashioum will be buried at the Cemetery of the Alleghenies.

Due to Officer Bashioum's funeral, St. Patrick School will be having an early dismissal Wednesday at 12:30 p.m.

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