Warrant issued for suspect in slaying of New Kensington police officer Brian Shaw
Law enforcement agencies continued their manhunt Sunday for the man suspected in the fatal shooting of New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw.
Rahmael Sal Holt, 29, whose last known address was along Vine Street in the Natrona section of Harrison, is accused of gunning down Shaw during a traffic stop Friday night in New Kensington.
Holt is considered armed and dangerous, according to the Pennsylvania State Police. Police say Holt is about 5 feet-11 inches tall and weighs approximately 160 pounds.
Sunday night, police were looking for a new person of interest in the case — Lisa Harrington, who was reportedly driving a gold Chrysler Town & Country minivan with license plate KHF-6524. It was last seen in the 1700 block of Woodmont Avenue.
Update New Kensington Police Officer Shooting: Rahmael Sal HOLT (DOB 05/31/88) has been identified as the person who shot and killed Officer Shaw. A warrant has been issued for Holt's arrest. Consider Holt armed and dangerous! Call 911 with info on his location. Pictured below pic.twitter.com/6L6vqQ0WVs
" Troop A Public Information Officers (@PSPTroopAPIO) November 19, 2017
According to court records, Holt has a lengthy criminal record including convictions for resisting arrest and carrying a gun without a license.
Holt's criminal record dates back to 2007 when he was arrested in Wilkinsburg for possession of an unlicensed firearm.
Later in 2007, Holt again was arrested on the same charge by Wilkinsburg police and was originally sentenced to serve two years of probation.
In 2008, an Allegheny County jury acquitted Hold of a charge of possession of an unlicensed gun.
Holt, in 2011, pleaded guilty to resisting arrest, tampering with evidence, disorderly conduct and simple assault for an incident in Wilkinsburg and was sentenced to two years of probation.
A year later, in 2012, Holt was sentenced to serve two-to-four years in state prison after he pleaded guilty to several drug charges in Pittsburgh.
Westmoreland County Detectives are leading the investigation into the shooting, with assistance from the FBI, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, state police and numerous local agencies.
There is a $43,500 combined reward for information leading Holt's arrest — $25,000 from the FBI, $10,000 from the ATF, $5,000 from the U.S. Marshal Service and $3,500 from the citizens of New Kensington and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 23.
Shaw, 25, was shot after pulling over an SUV about 8:10 p.m. Friday in the 1200 block of Leishman Avenue.
The SUV was found, unoccupied, later Friday. Police have said the vehicle had a temporary license plate that was registered to a Penn Hills resident.
Police say the driver of the SUV was arrested on unrelated charges. Police have not identified the driver.
Shortly after 8 p.m. Saturday, police stopped a woman identified as Holt's girlfriend at the Marathon gas station in Tarentum. Authorities say she voluntarily gave police a statement and was released. Police were seeking a search warrant for the woman's home in the Natrona Heights section of Harrison.
On Saturday, New Kensington police Chief Jim Klein vowed to bring the shooter to justice.
"We will find you, we will arrest you, and we will prosecute you so that you are held accountable for what has occurred," Klein said at a brief news conference.
Shaw initiated a traffic stop of the SUV, which led to a foot pursuit, Klein said. That's when shots were fired, he said. Shaw was shot in the chest and, despite wearing a bullet-proof vest, later died from his injuries.
Gov. Tom Wolf has ordered all flags at the state capital and in Westmoreland County to be flown at half-staff in honor of Shaw's death.
Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-830-6293 or rcholodofsky@tribweb.com. Dave Williams is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-226-4667 or dwilliams@tribweb.com.
