Murrysville police use drone to find man accused in assault

A high-tech drone helped Murrysville police quickly narrow down where a domestic assault suspect was hiding Tuesday morning in acres of woods, said Capt. Dave Coleman.

He manned the device that tracked Jeremy Rupp, 28, of Penn Hills, off Christy Road and ultimately helped officers on foot find and apprehend him.

“You’re kind of able to get eyes on them safely,” Coleman said.

Rupp is accused of breaking into a Christy Road home around 7 a.m., attacking a woman there and trying to set the house on fire, according to court papers. Police Chief Thomas Kusinsky said the woman escaped and drove to the police station with a damaged windshield.

Rupp fled into the woods and Murrysville officers got help from neighboring departments in an effort to find him. He was captured around 8 a.m. after a foot pursuit, Kusinsky said.

Murrysville police started its drone program in 2018, but the original device has been replaced with a newer model purchased in August for about $14,000, Coleman said. It has thermal imaging and a regular camera. There are about a dozen officers on the force who are certified to operate it.

The drone mostly has been used to help officers look for missing people, but it also comes in handy during suspect searches and more serious situations, he said. Any of the certified officers can grab it from the station to help with an incident.

“A lot of times when we use it, these are very time sensitive operations,” Coleman said.

After it is put into use, the operator has to complete an incident report specific to the drone.

The department has deployed its device to help neighboring forces that don’t have their own. The roaming set of eyes allows investigators to get a better handle on a situation that could otherwise be dangerous to them on foot, he said.

“It’s been a great tool to have. … I’m a firm believer that this kind of technology can help save lives,” he said.

No officers were hurt in Tuesday’s incident. Rupp was taken to a hospital as a precaution.

He is charged with burglary, arson, stalking, reckless endangerment and related offenses. Bail was set at $50,000 and Rupp was being held at the Westmoreland County Prison. He did not have an attorney listed in online court records. A preliminary hearing is set for July 23.