Police: Man Pistol-Whipped Woman, Prompting SWAT Situation
SWISSVALE (KDKA) -- A domestic violence call turned into a SWAT response in one Swissvale neighborhood. The man police say is responsible is in the Allegheny County Jail.
Swissvale police say the whole chain of events started when Suleman Chapman, 45, of Swissvale, pistol-whipped his girlfriend. Police said Chapman was running around the neighborhood in other people's yards, which prompted a SWAT response.
Officers with guns drawn searched the area 2300 block of Woodstock Avenue in Swissvale around 9 a.m. Monday for Chapman.
"We received a call this morning of a female being beaten by her boyfriend who pistol-whipped her," said Swissvale Police Chief Greg Geppert. According to police, the woman was hit in the back of her head. While paramedics took her to a local hospital, officers were combing the neighborhood looking for Chapman, who they said was running around in other people's yards.
"While searching for him, we found a pair of pants that he was described as wearing next to the yard at the house. At that point, we believed he went back into the house," said Chief Geppert. Allegheny County SWAT officers responded. Police were trying to figure out if Chapman was holed up inside or possibly armed with a gun outside.
"We were able to make contact with him on the phone and located him a few blocks away."
However, when police spoke to him they got another challenge.
"The only thing he told us was that he wanted police to kill him. Suicide by police is what he wanted," said Chief Geppert.
An officer was able to calm Chapman down and he was arrested without any resistance.
Police were unable to find the gun the woman told them he used to beat her. According to criminal court records, Chapman is a person who is not allowed to possess a firearm by law. One of those cases involved the shooting of off-duty Churchill Officer Robert Chambers in 1991. He survived the shooting.
Police said the woman had a protection from abuse order against Chapman from an incident a few weeks ago. Police said they have responded to domestic calls involving the couple in the past.
Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter
