The death of pharmaceutical tycoon Dr. Julian Colon by gunshot wound was ruled a homicide by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office, as details begin to emerge into the shooting death of one of Pittsburgh’s most notable philanthropists.
Colon suffered “multiple gunshot wounds” and his death was ruled a “homicide,” according to a news release from the Allegheny County medical examiner’s office. Their statement noted that “homicide” is a determination of how Colon died – from injuries inflicted by another person – and not meant to indicate whether his death was the result of criminal wrongdoing.
Colon’s death rattled the city’s political and philanthropic communities, to whom Colon had formed deep ties since establishing his company’s headquarters here in 1996. Colon had come under wide scrutiny in recent months after files from his company were leaked, apparently by a digital activist using the moniker “NO/ONE,” tying Colon to torturous medical experiments on inmates in Puerto Rico while Colon was a young doctor working in their prison system.
Meanwhile, additional details have emerged in the investigation. Police sources told The Ledger that there were no signs of forced entry to Colon’s sprawling estate and that all of Colon’s gunshot wounds were “closely grouped” on his chest.
Pittsburgh police officials held a briefing for reporters Monday at the Pittsburgh Police Department headquarters and when asked about The Ledger’s reporting, officials decried the leaks and admonished reporters for using unofficial sources.
“We’re trying to meet you in the middle,” said Lieutenant Thomas McGarrity, a city homicide supervisor. “But you’re complicating things with your sources and your unauthorized leaks. It’s not real unless it comes from this office,” he said.
According to a timeline prepared by the city officials and shared with reporters, police arrived at Colon’s home about 4:40 a.m. after a burglar alarm was tripped about an hour earlier. The officers found a door open, walked in and announced themselves, and used their radios to report they found an open door. During a search of the home they found Colon in his living room and officers began “life-saving measures.”
“Unfortunately, despite the heroic efforts of our officers, they were unable to save Mr. Colon,” McGarrity said. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. McGarrity said Colon suffered “multiple” gunshot wounds and wouldn’t say if there were signs of forced entry.
McGarrity also defended the response time of the patrol officers – noting that burglar alarms were common, were often tripped by loose windows or household pets – and that the police “appropriately prioritized” the burglar alarm call among other responsibilities that night.
He wouldn’t say why the city hadn’t produced radio traffic of the night, or why it appeared the online archiving system that records traffic didn’t have copies of the radio traffic that night.
“That’s all part of the ongoing investigation,” he said. “It will all come out in due time.”
Staff writer Julia Paige contributed to this report.