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William Hardison, a 63-year-old man, was identified as the suspect who was shot dead in the Pittsburg shooting that spanned hours in Garfield. On Wednesday, August 23, gunfire erupted on the 4800 block of Broad Street in the city's Garfield neighborhood after an armed Hardison barricaded himself inside a home he refused to evacuate.
The Pittsburgh shooting reportedly began Wednesday morning after deputies from the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office went to serve an eviction notice to a resident identified as William Hardison. According to multiple reports, the 63-year-old man, who described himself as an anti-government sovereign citizen, was squatting in a home that previously belonged to his brother Joseph Hardison, who recently died.
Authorities said that shortly after deputies arrived at the home to serve the notice, Hardison “turned violent and began shooting.” A deputy reportedly sustained a minor injury while running for cover during the incident. Shortly after, multiple law enforcement agencies converged at the scene after the suspect armed himself with body armor and began indiscriminately firing from inside the home.
Following a six-hour-long police standoff through which Hardison reportedly traded close to a hundred bullets with law enforcement officers, he was killed at the scene.
Sovereign citizen meaning explained as Pittsburg shooting suspect William Hardison killed in standoff
William Hardison, who described himself as a sovereign citizen, meaning he thought he was exempt from following the rule of law, reportedly had a history of flouting authorities.
Hardison’s anti-government views dated back years, as evidenced in a 2019 traffic stop video where he was seen disobeying the police stating that they had no jurisdiction over him.
Hardison also had several violations over the years, including charges for driving without a license, harassment and disorderly conduct. According to local reports, the home where police said Hardison was found squatting belonged to his late brother, who purchased the house in 1998.
Per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the house was reportedly sold after his brother’s death in a sheriff’s sale for $25,000. Hardison’s brother supposedly did not have a will, therefore, the home was sold to 907 East Street LLC, who asked the suspect to pay rent to continue living in the residence.
However, after Hardison had accumulated six months in unpaid rent, the sheriff’s office arrived at the residence to serve him with an eviction notice. Hardison’s son, William Hardison Jr., told WTAE that he begged his father to “stand down” during the stand-off to no avail. Law enforcement agencies reportedly evacuated neighbors and eventually killed Hardison.
Following the tragic death, in a statement, Pittsburgh Police Chief Larry Scirotto said:
"While we had hoped that this incident would not reach this unfortunate conclusion, I am grateful none of our officers was injured in the process of trying to negotiate a peaceful surrender.”
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey also issued a statement in connection to the incident and said:
“I ask for you to join us in prayer tonight for the entire community of Garfield, a peaceful neighborhood that was home to an unfortunate tragedy today.”
Authorities said one deputy who injured his head while diving for cover needed stitches, but no members of law enforcement sustained injuries at the scene.
