Latest news with #Pirraglia
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Miami Herald
Man kills roommate with AR-15 style gun after ‘cool down' from fight, PA cops say
Two roommates got into a fight about their living arrangements when things turned physical, then deadly, Pennsylvania police said. The fight started the night of June 6 when Timothy Pirraglia got home from work, Sandy Township police said. He knocked Christopher Euard, his roommate of one year, to the ground and pushed him into the corner, according to a probable cause affidavit filed June 7. The two went into their separate bedrooms, Euard told police. During the 'cool down' period, Pirraglia decided he wanted to leave the home. With a backpack on, Pirraglia left his room to leave but was confronted by Euard. Police said he was holding an AR-15 style firearm, the affidavit said. A third roommate, who was also trying to leave, overheard the two arguing in the hallway when Pirraglia yelled, 'Do it. You're not going to do it,' the affidavit said. Euard fired one shot, which fatally struck the man in the chest, according to the affidavit. With Pirraglia dead in the hallway, Euard turned to his other roommate. 'He's down,' Euard said, according to court documents. 'What do you mean he's down?' the third roommate replied. 'You know what happened,' Euard said back. 'I just want to leave. I don't want any part of this, why would you put me in this situation? I don't know what to do, what do I do?' the roommate said, then left the residence. Euard said he 'passed out,' then called police the next morning at about 3 a.m., the affidavit said. Euard was charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person, according to court records. Sandy Township is about a 100-mile drive northwest from Pittsburgh.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Yahoo
Behind the walls of the SD State Penitentiary: Part I
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — KELOLAND News hadn't had the chance to bring a camera behind the walls of the South Dakota State Penitentiary in recent years… until Wednesday. In recent public comments, South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden has made clear his concerns about the aging facility. KELOLAND's Bob Mercer and Dan Santella interviewed Rhoden on Jan. 29, and at the conclusion of the interview, they requested permission to bring a camera inside the prison. This request was granted. Court papers reveal more details in stabbing death of suspect's ex girlfriend The penitentiary, which opened up in 1881 before South Dakota was a state, was built to house 400 inmates. But Wednesday morning's count was nearly double that: 784. Most inmates are double-bunked, and there have been several instances of triple-bunking in recent history. The numbers and that lack of space would bring considerable concern in any facility, no matter the age or condition. But this penitentiary has seen better days. 'The walls are crumbling,' South Dakota Secretary of Corrections Kellie Wasko said Wednesday. 'The foundation is displaced. We don't have adequate cell space for our offenders. We don't have adequate showers for our offenders, and there's absolutely no treatment space without them having to travel across an outdoors area.' Wasko and state director of corrections Amber Pirraglia, who currently serves as interim warden at the penitentiary, both accompanied KELOLAND News on Wednesday's exclusive tour. A hallway where inmates are transported had a prominent place on the tour, and with Wasko playing the role of an inmate while Pirraglia and DOC Maj. Cody Hanson acted as officers accompanying the 'offender,' the challenges posed by the corridor are clear. 'So, we would come this way,' Hanson said as he, Wasko and Pirraglia showcased the obstacle. 'The inmate would have to step over first, and then as she's stepping over, one of us would have to step over just so we keep continuous contact, and we would wait, and then we would go on our way.' A visitor might notice that this piping isn't exactly in the best condition. There's a reason for that. 'They're dented because so many times we've used restraints over here, and just the usage over time, they get dented from the restraints, for how many inmates would go back and forth,' Hanson said. Back when the facility opened, the country's Civil War's end was recent history. Wasko says attitudes have changed since then. 'We don't have the type of inmates in 2025 that we had in 1881,' she said. 'The people in 1881 were repenting their crimes and their sins. Today, we have a much more brazen type of offender, and so our staff are walking by and often being fluid-assaulted or having objects from the cell thrown at them and hit them.' Per the South Dakota Department of Corrections, to be 'fluid-assaulted' might include spit or urine launched at staff. Wasko and Pirraglia sing the praises of the people who work here in spite of its notable challenges. 'I can't express how proud I am of the staff that work here,' Pirraglia said. 'The staff are what keeps everything going, day in and day out.' 'I have some of the most professional staff in the business,' Wasko said. 'I'm very proud of the staff in this facility. They do a very good job with what we've given them. But I think that it falls on our shoulders that we have to do better and give them a better environment to do their job safely.' Part II of this coverage is set to air Thursday night on KELOLAND News. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
