Penn Hills teacher's behavior before Shaler police shooting confounds investigators

Authorities remain puzzled about how a beloved Penn Hills teacher became involved in a standoff with police Aug. 6 that ended with his death.

“We’re trying to figure out why he was doing what he was doing,” Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. said Thursday of Donald Babbit.

Zappala said his office is awaiting psychological reports and a mental health profile that could help shed light on why Babbit, 49, of Shaler, ended up being shot dead by police in Babbit’s driveway.

Patti Turano, who lived across Spencer Grove Lane from Babbit’s home, told the Tribune-Review she saw her neighbor outside his house wearing only what appeared to be a towel on his head and a pair of twisted underwear.

Police were initially called for a domestic dispute at the residence. Officers said Babbit ignored police commands to exit the home for more than an hour. When he came out, he was holding a gun and pointed it at police, investigators said.

Zappala described Babbit’s behavior as “strange.”

Three officers, two from Shaler and another from Hampton, fired 10 shots at Babbit, who was hit in the neck, head and trunk, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office.

None of the officers who responded were wearing body cameras, Zappala said.