Avalon police officer charged in N. Shore altercation

A part-time Avalon police officer has been charged in connection to a fight last week in the North Shore after the Pirates home opener.

Pittsburgh police on Friday charged Officer Christopher Rossetti, 24, with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

He was charged via summons and did not spend time in jail.

City police spokeswoman Sonya Toler said officers responded at 6:20 p.m. to McFadden’s bar for a report that multiple people were fighting.

When police arrived, Ms. Toler said, Officer Rossetti was fighting a private security guard.

The city police officers separated the men, but Officer Rossetti continued fighting, according to Ms. Toler.

She said he stopped fighting after being struck twice with a Taser.

Avalon police Chief Tom Kokoski said Officer Rossetti has been suspended for a week, but he does not anticipate any further punishment.

The aftermath of the incident, captured by TV cameras, appears to show several Pittsburgh officers removing Officer Rossetti from the bar.

But Chief Kokoski said the public did not see how the incident started.

According to the chief, video from inside the bar shows Officer Rossetti hugging a woman when his ex-girlfriend walks over and punches him in the face.

“I don’t think he did anything to provoke anything,” he said.

Court records do not indicate that any other person has been charged.

Officer Rossetti faces a preliminary hearing May 22.

Officer Rossetti has been suspended for a week, and no further punishment is anticipated.