East Vandergrift, PA – Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole W. Ziccarelli announces the officer-involved shooting in East Vandergrift on February 14, 2025 has been ruled justified.

Members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force surrounded an address on McKinley Avenue in East Vandergrift on February 14, 2025 at approximately 7 a.m. to serve an arrest warrant on Lyle Cessna.

At approximately 7:27 a.m., Cessna exited the apartment and descended a stairway onto McKinley Avenue.

Task force members identified themselves as law enforcement and ordered Cessna to the ground for safety purposes.

As officers approached Cessna, he produced a handgun from under his jacket and placed the firearm to his head.

Police continued to give verbal commands to Cessna to drop the weapon, but he refused to comply with commands.

Task force members attempted to use a less-than-lethal projectile and struck Cessna in the abdomen, but the attempt was unsuccessful.

Cessna’s gun malfunctioned when he pulled the trigger while holding the firearm to his head.

Upon clearing the malfunction and racking his weapon, Cessna pointed the firearm in the direction of police and was met three rounds fired from task force members.

Cessna was struck and succumbed to his injuries on March 5, 2025. 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).

The District Attorney’s Office completed a thorough review and analysis of the evidence, police reports, and witness statements and DA Ziccarelli determined the use of force was reasonable due to the immediate threat of serious bodily injury and/or death to the officers if deadly force was not used. The use of force was justified and proper under the circumstances.