Man shot by Munhall police in holding cell charged with assaulting officer

A man who was shot by Munhall police while he was in a holding cell is facing charges, Allegheny County police announced on Friday. 

After consulting with the district attorney's office, Allegheny County police said they charged 38-year-old Christopher Allie with aggravated assault, strangulation and resisting arrest. 

County police said Munhall officers arrested Allie on domestic violence charges around 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 9 and took him to the borough police department, where he was placed in a holding cell for processing.

Around 12:30 a.m., police said two officers approached Allie when they saw him covering the camera in his cell with wet toilet paper. Investigators said Allie refused commands to get on the ground, and when an officer tried to take him down, Allie began to fight.

Both officers used their tasers, but police said Allie continued fighting, grabbing an officer around the neck and choking him. Investigators said that officer fired multiple shots, hitting Allie. 

According to the criminal complaint, that officer told detectives that when he was being choked, "he knew from his training in the military and previous fighting experience that he did not have much time to address the situation." Police said that officer fired three rounds in an effort to get Allie off his neck. 

Allie was taken to the hospital, where he remains as of Friday, in critical but stable condition. The officers weren't injured.