District Attorney

Nicole W. Ziccarelli
First Assistant District Attorney
Chuck Washburn
Chief County Detective
Ronald Zona

Office of the District Attorney

2 N. Main Street Suite 206
Greensburg, PA 15601
724-830-3949

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 21, 2023
NEWS RELEASE
PIO: Melanie Jones / 724-216-2120 / mjones@co.westmoreland.pa.us

Ligonier Township, PA -- On Sunday, July 2, 2023, Westmoreland County Detectives were

called to investigate an officer-involved shooting that occurred earlier in the day in
Ligonier Township.
At approximately 3:50 p.m., two officers from the Ligonier Valley Police Department were
dispatched to an address on Gravel Hill Road in Ligonier Township for the report of a
domestic disturbance.
As heard on the 911 correspondence, the caller relayed to emergency dispatchers that the
man inside the home had a machete and was threatening to kill a woman inside the
house.
Both officers arrived simultaneously and found two victims outside the residence
unharmed. One of the victims told officers the actor, Robbie Saunders, was still inside the
house and was believed to have a knife, described as a machete.
Both officers approached the front door of the home and attempted to make contact with
the man inside, later identified as Saunders. He could be seen on body camera footage
wielding a 14-inch machete in his hand. Saunders approached officers aggressively, with
the machete in his hand, raised above his head and within feet of officers.
Ligonier Valley Police verbally ordered Saunders to drop the weapon but he did not
comply.
Saunders was ultimately struck with a bullet from a police-issued firearm.
Both officers rendered aid to Saunders as they waited for medical personnel to arrive to
the scene.
Saunders was transported to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown where
he succumbed to his injuries.
Both officers were placed on administrative protocol while county detectives investigated
the circumstances of the officer-involved shooting.
In Pennsylvania, the use of deadly force by a law enforcement officer is governed by
Section 508 of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code. A law enforcement officer is “justified in
using deadly force only when he believes that such force is necessary to prevent death or
serious bodily injury to himself or such other person...” 18 Pa.C.S.A. §508(a). In addition,
the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers is justified to defeat...the escape of a
person who possesses a deadly weapon, or otherwise indicates that he will endanger
human life or inflict serious bodily injury unless arrested without delay. 18 Pa.C.S.A.
§508(a)(1)(i)(ii).
An immediate and imminent threat was posed to responding police officers who were
prepared to use their own resources to protect themselves and the lives of those around
them.
Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole W. Ziccarelli reviewed multiple videos
from the scene, reports, witness interviews and evidence and has determined the use of
deadly force was justified.