Police: Suspect in McKeesport police shooting hid out in West Virginia

The man suspected of shooting and wounding a McKeesport police officer earlier this month likely spent the majority of his nine days on the run in West Virginia, authorities said Wednesday, a day after his arrest in the neighboring state.

Koby Francis, 22, will face an extradition hearing after the Jan. 1 holiday, Allegheny County Police Lt. Venerando Costa said during a news conference.

Francis had been on the run since Dec. 20 when police said he opened fire at McKeesport Patrolman Geriasimo Athans, hitting him three times.

Athans had minutes earlier taken Francis into custody outside a home on Yester Square on suspicion of violating a protection-from-abuse order taken out 10 days earlier by the 24-year-old mother of Francis’s child.

Costa said Wednesday they believe Francis went to the home “without the best intentions.” He said police had been in near-daily contact with the woman, who he said was relieved to hear of Francis’s capture.

While in the back of Athans’s patrol car, Francis was able to maneuver his handcuffed arms from behind him to in front of him and get hold of a gun he’d kept ahold of somehow, police said. When Athans opened the door to take Francis into the station, Francis opened fire, police said. Athans was hit three times and returned fire as the suspect fled.

Costa said investigators believe Francis went to the Crawford Village housing complex in McKeesport after he escaped and got a ride to West Virginia that night.

Investigators got a tip about 10 a.m. Tuesday that Francis was at the Oakmound Apartment complex in Clarksburg, West Virginia, Costa said. He did not say who tipped off police but noted that it was not any of the four charged over the weekend for allegedly hindering Francis’s apprehension.

Coordinating with West Virginia authorities and U.S. Marshals, county police helped take Francis into custody without incident just after 6 p.m. Tuesday, Costa said. Francis will remain in the North Central Regional Jail until his extradition hearing.

Costa said it is unclear whether Francis will try to fight extradition. He faces charges of aggravated assault, attempted homicide, flight to avoid apprehension, escape and a firearm violation.