Penn Hills Police Officer Michael Crawshaw, who was shot while answering a call last night, was described by his former boss as an "excellent officer" who was "always smiling."

Officer Crawshaw, 32, of Shaler died from several gunshot wounds while he was sitting in his patrol car waiting for backup. Allegheny County Police announced the arrest of a suspect in the shooting this morning.

Officer Crawshaw graduated in 2001 from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor of science degree in social work and a minor in psychology, Edinboro spokesman Jeff Pinski said. He later attended an 11-month program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Criminal Justice Training Academythat led to a certificate of completion in February 2004. The academy offers the program in various locations, and Officer Crawshaw attended the session at Carnegie Mellon University, said IUP spokeswoman Michelle Fryling.

Officer Crawshaw had been with the Penn Hills force for 2 1/2 years and had previously worked for the University of Pittsburgh force.

Michael Crawshaw

The weight of the loss was evident in the voice of Pitt Police Chief Tim Delaney, who hired Officer Crawshaw for the university's police force. He worked there from 2005 through 2007.

"Obviously, we're devastated by this loss. He was a good kid, excellent officer and a much better person," Chief Delaney said. "He was always smiling. That's what a lot of us here have mentioned -- that Mike always had a smile on his face.

"His parents did an excellent job in raising him. My condolences to the family for their loss," he said. "It's especially hard on us because we worked with him. We become sort of a family here. Most police work does."

Introspective and well-liked within the Police Academy, Officer Crawshaw, like many young officers, enjoyed knowing that he could help community residents one-on-one, according to Ernie Fullerton, coordinator of the IUP Police Academy site at Carnegie Mellon.

"He felt that was the best way for him to contribute to society," said Dr. Fullerton, who also teaches criminal justice at Pitt. He would sometimes run into the young man he helped train as the officer patrolled in uniform or plainclothes for the university.

"He said he loved it," Dr. Fullerton said. "It was exactly what he thought it was going to be. He felt he was contributing.

"You're proud of each one of them. But sometimes you're a little bit prouder of individuals you think are going to have an impact on other people's lives. I felt strongly that he would, and I'm sure that he did."

Mr. Crawshaw was a 1996 graduate of Shaler Area High School, where he was a linebacker on the football team.

Classmate Mindy Thiel, now activities director at the high school, said, "In high school, he was the guy when you passed in the hall, his smile just lit up the hallway. He was a football player, but that typical football personna wasn't him. He was that big cuddly teddy bear that you were so comfortable approaching and talking to. That was Mike. He was just a great guy all around and someone you could count on."

Shaler Area Superintendent Don Lee, who joined the district in 1997, said that, based on feedback from those who knew him, the officer was "someone everyone respected."

He said he ordered the flags at half staff in the district.

Officer Crawshaw lived with his parents in Shaler. His younger brother, Matthew Crawshaw, 29, also is a police officer, working for the past five years with the Northern Regional Police Department whose coverage includes Pine, Marshall, Richland and Bradford Woods.

"It's a very difficult time, of course, for our department and for Matt and his family. A lot of my guys had known Mike through Matt since they were very close in age," said Northern Regional police Chief Robert Ammon.

"Our first concern is giving support to Matt and his family and the tough times they're going through during this dark period."

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

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