Suspect in Officer’s Shooting Apologizes

Homewood man held for wounding NV Twp. officer Friday morning

By Jason Togyer
The Tube City Almanac
November 25, 2023
Posted in: Crime and Police News, North Versailles Twp. News

A man accused of shooting a North Versailles Twp. police officer early Friday morning apologized to detectives and his girlfriend before passing out from his own injuries, investigators said.

Ian Lamont Fields, 47, of Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood is being held at the Allegheny County Jail without bond pending a preliminary hearing Nov. 29 before Magisterial District Judge Kim Berkeley Clark.

Fields, who sustained two gunshot wounds to the leg in Friday’s incident, is accused of wounding a North Versailles officer following a domestic dispute in the 200 block of Arlington Avenue.

The wounded police officer was treated and released at a local hospital. His name has not been officially released.

In an affidavit of probable cause filed in Allegheny County night court, county detectives alleged that shots fired from Fields’ .40-caliber Glock pistol wounded the officer in the face and hand. Officers returned fire, according to the criminal complaint, striking Fields twice in the right leg.

Police searching the neighborhood after the incident followed a trail of blood and found Fields hiding behind a home in the 200 block of Delaware Avenue, the affidavit states.

Police said the incident between Fields and his partner, whose name was not released, began as an argument in a car as the couple was driving east on Route 30 near the George Westinghouse Bridge.

At the height of the dispute, Fields jumped out of the car in which he was a passenger, and his partner then drove home to North Versailles, police said.

Approximately 20 minutes later, police said, at around 3:30 a.m. Friday, Fields’ partner heard glass breaking outside and Fields entered their apartment to collect his personal belongings. Fields vowed to “f--k up” his partner’s car as he was leaving the apartment, police said. Two gunshots were then heard.

A North Versailles police officer on routine patrol in the neighborhood heard the shots, according to the affidavit. Fields’ partner also called Allegheny County 9-1-1 to report them, police said.

Four township police officers responded to the scene and located Fields in the alley between Delaware and Arlington avenues, according to the affidavit.

Fields refused to turn around and face police and was tased, the affidavit said.

At that point, police allege, Fields turned to face the officers and fired several shots, striking the victim twice. A police car also was struck, the affidavit says.

As officers returned fire, Fields fled on foot in the direction of Delaware Avenue, police said.

Two officers pursued Fields and recovered the Glock handgun on Delaware Avenue. The gun had been reported stolen in 2011, according to police.

The wounded officer was transported to UPMC McKeesport hospital for treatment.

Officers from multiple Mon Valley area departments responded to the scene, along with Allegheny County detectives. Following an intense search of the area throughout the early morning hours, police said, Fields was located and an ambulance was called.

During transport to Forbes Regional Hospital, Monroeville, in a Fire Department of North Versailles ambulance, police said that Fields told Allegheny County police Det. Greg Renko, “I'm sorry to my girlfriend and you guys for this,” before passing out. Police said the exchange was captured on video.

Fields is charged by Allegheny County police with attempted homicde, multiple counts of assault on a law enforcement officer and aggravated assault, receiving stolen property, recklessly endangering another person, criminal mischief, evading arrest and unauthorized use of a handgun.

Originally published November 25, 2023.

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