SHENANGO TOWNSHIP, Pa. – Pennsylvania State Police say a man from Clarksburg, West Virginia, was killed during an officer-involved shooting Thursday at a hotel in Shenango Township.
Authorities identified the man as 46-year-old Tyrell Askerneese. Troopers arrived at the Park Inn by Radisson along Route 18 around noon to serve an arrest warrant stemming from charges in an Ohio drug trafficking investigation.
According to police, Askerneese was armed and refused to surrender. Negotiation efforts continued for several hours, and the Mercer County Crisis Intervention Response Team was called in to assist.
The standoff ended around 3 p.m. when officers fired, killing Askerneese. A hotel guest told WKBN that she was not allowed to leave her room until the situation was resolved.
State Police are now investigating the shooting.
Court records show Askerneese had been arrested earlier this month in Belmont County, Ohio, after detectives seized more than 450 grams of cocaine, a large quantity of suspected fentanyl, ecstasy, and three firearms. He had been released on bond but failed to appear for a court hearing on August 6, prompting the warrant that led to Thursday’s operation.
