Five people killed in mass shooting in Wilkinsburg; gunmen at large

[dathbgboy]

Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala will visit the scene in Wilkinsburg this morning where five people — four women and one man — were killed and three others wounded late Wednesday night when gunmen opened fire on a backyard party.

Allegheny County Police Lt. Andrew Schurman said at least two shooters were being sought, based on gun casings found at the scene. He said the gunmen started shooting just before 11 p.m. at 1304 Franklin Ave. and then fled on foot.

Four people died at the scene, Lt. Schurman said, and another victim died later at UPMC Mercy. Three others were shot: Two men are in critical condition and another woman is in stable condition this morning. The victims’ names have not been released.


Six visibly distraught friends and relatives returned to the scene this morning, hunched over crying and angry. The three men and three women walked around to the back porch of the home, where police said several at the cookout were fatally shot.

Neighbor Tamara Green said she didn't get any sleep Wednesday night.

The 42-year-old woman who lives a few doors away from the scene on Franklin Avenue said she couldn't believe the number of gunshots she heard.

"A lot," she said. "Enough to wake me and my whole family up."

Ms. Green's 5- and 3-year-old grandchildren ran into her room after the shooting started, she said.

"Are they shooting?" her terrified grandchildren asked her.

"It's all right," she said she told them. "That's all you can tell them. It's all right. There's not that much you can say."

Ms. Green said there have been three shootings in the area since she moved to the street in June, but "I'll never forget this one."

"It sounded like it was something in the movies," she said. "I can't believe it."



Police said shots were fired from an alley to the rear of 1304 Franklin, police said. Those at the party tried to run into the house when one of the gunmen fired at the back porch. The four individuals who died at the scene were on the porch, Lt. Schurman said.

“It looks like right now they were all fleeing toward the backdoor of the residence when the second gunman fired from the side of the yard,” he said. “They all seemed to get caught on the back porch.”

Distraught family members gathered at the scene, with some causing scuffles as they tried to gain access. One woman sat on the ground crying. "They just want to kill everybody," she said.

Neighbors said they were awakened by gunshots and screaming around 11 p.m.

James Boyd, 70, who has lived on Midland Street, three houses from the shooting, for 24 years, said he heard the gunshots. "It went on for almost a minute," he said. "I thought it was maybe the pipes bursting. But then we realized it was gunshots. We've had trouble in this neighborhood before but never this close to home. I've never seen anything like this before."

A woman who lives on street said she was walking home from the East Busway when she heard about 26 gunshots.

"This street is always quiet, there's nothing but kids on this street," said Kayla, 20. "To see that, it's new, and it's probably shocking to everyone else up here. I'm shaking."

George C. Spencer Sr., president of the Greater Pittsburgh-area Mad Dads, and Donald Giddens, a street patrol director for the group, came to the scene to comfort grieving friends and family members. They said this was the worst shooting incident they had seen since the local chapter was founded in 2006.

"We do take proactive steps to try and curtail some of this madness," Mr. Giddens said. "We have to do something."

County Executive Rich Fitzgerald this morning offered his “deepest sympathies” to the families and friends of the victims and those “impacted by this violence.”

“We know that these families’ lives have been changed forever,” Mr. Fitzgerald said. “Over the next few days, I’m certain we will learn more about each of the victims who died and their futures, now cut short. Wilkinsburg is a community filled with grief, shock and anger this morning. We share their grief and offer them our support in the days and weeks to come.

“As a community, we must say enough is enough and providing information on this senseless shooting can be our first step to stopping the violence in our communities.”

Was passing through this area w/ my family a couple hours before this happened