Off-duty officer, a dad of 2, stabbed to death along trail in Pennsylvania, cops say
An off-duty Pennsylvania State Police officer was stabbed to death on a trail, according to officials.
Allegheny County police were called for reports of an injured man on Montour Trail around 2:52 p.m. Oct. 21, according to a news release.
First responders found a man, later identified as 44-year-old Benjamin Brallier, with a stab wound, according to police.
Brallier was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
“The Pennsylvania State Police is heartbroken to confirm the tragic loss of one of our own, dedicated liquor enforcement officer Benjamin Brallier,” Commissioner Col. Christopher Paris said in a statement to The National News Desk.
Brallier was a husband and father of two, according to a GoFundMe page.
“My time with Ben for the last 15 years, I mean, you know, we did a lot of things together,” officer Wayne Wright told WTAE. “Having wives that were both educators, little girls that are both the same age, we became close. A good man, willing to do anything for anybody. He always was.”
Brallier had just gotten off work and went to the trail, his former partner, officer Tim Zundel, told the news outlet.
“At the end of his shift, he went home, and every day, he would run on that trail,” Zundel said, according to WTAE. “Obviously, he never thought it would be a place where he would end up needing help.”
Investigators said they found a bicycle and a bag near where Brallier was found.
Anthony Quesen, 25, was arrested on a charge of criminal homicide, according to police.
Quesen was released on a non-monetary bail last year after he was accused of robbing someone, according to KDKA. His bail was revoked when he failed to appear in court, court records said, according to the outlet.
Bail was denied for Quesen in this case, court records show. An attorney was not listed.
The Port Authority of Allegheny County Police shared a post on Facebook saying Brallier was a “dedicated” officer.
“Most of us in law enforcement knew Ben for his selfless community service at countless events from serving as a counselor at Allegheny County Camp Cadet, to coffee with a cop events, having donuts with the veterans, serving hot dogs to students at CMU, wrapping toys for children in need, running the Tunnels to Towers 5k, and the list goes on and on. Ben always showed up and gave his all. The man had a heart of gold and his passing will be felt throughout the community,” the post said.
This story was originally published October 23, 2024 at 4:43 PM with the headline "Off-duty officer, a dad of 2, stabbed to death along trail in Pennsylvania, cops say."
