The Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office on Thursday said it will not pursue state criminal charges against the undercover Pittsburgh police officers involved in a brawl with members of the Pagans motorcycle club at a South Side bar last year.
The news comes a day after the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that it wouldn’t file charges against the officers.
“With the federal government having declined to pursue criminal charges and with numerous parties seeking a remedy civilly at the federal level, District Attorney Zappala has decided not to pursue state criminal charges against the Pittsburgh police officers involved in the Kopy’s Bar incident,” DA spokesman Mike Manko said in a statement.
Pittsburgh’s Public Safety Department had no comment on the decision by the DA’s office. Spokesman Chris Togneri said an internal investigation continues and the department won’t discuss ongoing investigations.
The brawl happened early Oct. 12 at Kopy’s Bar and ended with four members of the Pagans motorcycle club in jail.
The District Attorney’s Office withdrew all charges against the members of the motorcycle club and held off investigating the officers until federal authorities concluded their investigation. The FBI was investigating whether there were any civil rights violations by the officers.
The city’s Office of Municipal Investigations and the Citizens Police Review Board are also investigating.
Earlier this week, a federal civil lawsuit was filed against the city, the four officers involved and the police union on behalf of Michael Zokaites, one of the club members at the bar. He is the third club member to file a civil suit.
