As the end of the year quickly approaches, with only a little less than three months left in 2014, Allegheny County is on track to have a deadlier year than the last. According to the Allegheny County Office of the Medical Examiner, it’s projected that there will be 104 homicides in 2014, that’s more than the 91 that occurred in 2013. At the end of September last year there were 71 homicides, 49 of them Black lives. This year, there have been 78 homicides with 63 of them being Black men and women, and the numbers are steadily increasing.
As we hear about these incidents, one thing that seems to stand out is that while the victims are getting younger and younger so are the shooters. They are also getting bolder. They are opening fire in broad daylight at playgrounds, on well populated streets, at community gatherings and like several incidents on this month’s list, they are even shooting people in crowded establishments. What happened to the regard for life the African-American community once had? There was a time when a life meant something to someone.
Many of our young people have become so desensitized, especially the ones committing these heinous acts. They are so blinded by the rage of getting even with the one that “disrespected” them that they don’t even think about the other innocent lives that may be affected during their quest for revenge. Some blame the video games, the music or even the frustration due to a lack of opportunities and oppression. While there may be something to these theories, the only way to heal it is to deal with it. We can’t just shrug our shoulders and say, “he or she is just angry, they’ve had a hard life.”
We cannot afford excuses. It takes parents recognizing the signs and getting their children help, and community entities stepping up—more individuals taking a vested interest in our youth. There are several organizations in the area available that just are not being utilized. But even still, they can’t do it alone. It takes an effort from all. We cannot afford to shrug our shoulders anymore. We have a whole generation at stake.
As part of an ongoing effort to heighten awareness about the effects of murder in Black communities, the New Pittsburgh Courier will compile a list of homicides in the County each month. It is our hope that as the list of victims grows, so will a true understanding of how these lost lives affect the mental health, economic well being and self-images of the region’s Black neighborhoods.
Out of the 78 murders, thus far, in 2014—63 were Black and 58 were Black men.
SEPTEMBER HOMICIDES (9)
SEPT. 5—Theresa Smith, a 28-year-ol White female from Penn Hills, was fatally shot in the head outside of Allegheny Auto Body on Verona Road, in Penn Hills, during an argument with her boyfriend’s father, William Lieberth Sr. Smith was pronounced dead at the scene; she had two sons and was pregnant with another child. Lieberth reportedly shot himself after shooting Smith; he died days later at a local hospital.
SEPT. 10—Vernon Rogers, a 16-year-old Black male from Homewood, was found shot to death with multiple gunshot wounds near Braddock and North Braddock Avenues, in Braddock, near an old, unused bridge. He had been discovered by an individual on their way to work. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
SEPT. 10—Lynneil Williams, a 31-year-old Black male from the North Side, was fatally shot in the chest while at the Fireside Caribbean Restaurant in the 700 block of Penn Avenue in Wilkinsburg. He was taken to a local hospital where he later died. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
SEPT. 11—Lanair Roberts Jr., a 19-year-old Black male from the North Side, was found fatally shot in the 4000 block of Perrysville Avenue in the North Side. He was taken to Allegheny General where he later died. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
SEPT. 15—Jarome Coker, a 21-year-old Black male from Penn Hills, was fatally shot while getting out of his car outside of his home in the 8000 block of Thon Drive in Penn Hills. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
SEPT. 17—Jeffrey Brown, a 47-year-old Black male from Massachusetts, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head in an empty lot near the 7300 block of Hermitage Street in Homewood. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
SEPT. 21—Corey Clark, a 23-year-old Black male from Penn Hills, was fatally shot while at Cliff’s Bar and Grill at the intersection of North Lang Avenue and Upland Street in Homewood. A gunman entered the bar, which was filled with individuals watching a Steelers game, and opened fire on Clark. No one else was injured. Clark had previously been charged in a fatal March shooting, but was later released after evidence proved he did not shoot the victim. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
SEPT. 23—Jermaine Oden, a 39-year-old Black male from Elizabeth, was shot multiple time at the intersection of Ninth and Locust Streets in McKeesport after a reported altercation with an unidentified male. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
SEPT. 28—Laray Jones, a 33-year-old Black male from Jeannette, Pa., was fatally shot multiple times after reportedly entering his estranged wife’s home in the 200 block of Radcliffe Street in Esplen. The woman’s boyfriend came down the steps and fired shots. It is unknown if charges have been filed against the boyfriend.
August Homicides (12 )
AUG. 1—Maurice Freeman, a 21-year-old Black male from Northview Heights, was fatally shot multiple times in the 100 block of Hazlett Street in the Northview Heights Housing Complex, on the North Side, after playing a game of basketball. He was taken to Allegheny General Hospital where he later died. Paul Kendrick has been charged with criminal homicide and criminal conspiracy. He is currently awaiting trial.
AUG. 2—Tyrone Tomman, a 40-year-old Black male from Pittsburgh, was fatally shot outside of Arts Tavern, located at 2852 Penn Ave., in the Strip District, after a reported confrontation between males from the Pittsburgh Gentleman for Homewood motorcycle club and a group of individuals from the North Side. As the two groups were leaving, it is reported that the North Side group began to open fire on the motorcycle club members. Tomman died at the scene; others were seriously wounded and taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
AUG. 3—James Nelson, a 33-year-old Black male from North Side, was found dead in the woods near Penfort Street. He was reportedly shot and then his body burned. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
AUG. 6—Leroy Powell, a 15-year-old Black male from Duquesne, was shot to death near his home in the 1000 block of Crawford Avenue, in Duquesne. It is believed to have been an ambush. Powell, who testified in a trial against a teen who is accused of shooting a pregnant teen and killing her unborn child, reportedly received a call, ran outside and was shot shortly after. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
AUG. 6—Micah Goodman, a 41-year-old Black male from Wilkinsburg, was fatally shot while on the porch of a friend’s Wilkinsburg home in the 1700 block of Wesley Street. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
AUG. 10—Anthony Robertson, a 37-year-old Black male from McKeesport, was fatally shot while sitting outside of the Harrison Village Housing Complex on Market Street in McKeesport. He was taken to UPMC McKeesport where he later died. It has been reported that it may have been retaliation for a prior shooting in Duquesne. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
AUG. 16—Delicious Jones, a 32-year-old Black female from Wilkins Township, was found fatally stabbed in the head, neck and body, and severely beaten in a wooded area across from her home on McMasters Avenue in Wilkins Township. She reportedly had been in an altercation with her boyfriend, William Arrington. He is believed to have killed her and then dumped her body. Arrington was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest and later died.
AUG. 19—Christopher Moss, a 38-year-old Black male from Penn Hills, was fatally shot in the abdomen at an apartment in the 8500 block of Frankstown Road in Penn Hills during an Aug. 17 incident. He was taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital where he died two days later. He was reportedly shot after an altercation with Darshele Johnson. Authorities have charged Johnson with criminal homicide and carrying a firearm without a license. Johnson is awaiting trial. (This name was not provided to the New Pittsburgh Courier by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office for its original August reportings.)
AUG. 21—Brian Hall, an 18-year-old Black male from Penn Hills, was found dead in the 400 block of North Dunfermline Street, in Homewood, by a person-walking pass. He was shot multiple times. He was reportedly wanted for a May 2013 shooting in Wilkinsburg. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
AUG. 22—Tina Crawford, a 34-year-old Black female from the Hill District, was fatally shot multiple times while in the garage of her Cherokee Street home in the Hill District. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Crawford’s mother was also wounded. Crawford was reportedly a witness in a drug case. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
AUG. 29—Delrio Ivy, a 58-year-old Black male from the North Side, was found with a multiple stab wounds at the Giant Eagle on Cedar Avenue in the North Side. He had reportedly had a confrontation with another male. He was taken to Allegheny General where he later died. David Umstead has been charged with criminal homicide and is awaiting trial.
AUG. 30—Nathaniel Humphrey, a 32-year-old Black male from McKeesport, was found shot to death in the head near Fleming Avenue in Stowe Township. He was discovered in a wooded area. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing. (This name was not provided to the New Pittsburgh Courier by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office for its original August reportings.)
July Homicides (15)
JULY 4—Kaamil Arnold, a 30-year-old Black male from Homewood, was shot multiple times in his Tioga Street home, in Homewood, during a backyard cook-out he was hosting. Two men walked into his home and shot him in the kitchen. A warrant has been issued for Zachary Threats. He is charged with homicide, carrying a gun without a license and burglary. He is awaiting trial.
JULY 5—Alan Krupitzer, a 75-year-old White male from Brookline, was found fatally stabbed multiple times in his Brookline home, in the 2300 block of Pioneer Avenue, after an altercation with his alleged roommate Christopher Richardson. The two men had reportedly argued when Richardson asked Krupitzer for money and denied he had any. Richardson allegedly stabbed Krupitzer and then went through his pockets where he found no money. Richardson has been charged with homicide and robbery.
JULY 6—Derek Frye, a 22-year-old Black male from Fineview, was fatally stabbed in the chest after an alleged altercation with his mother’s boyfriend, Michael Monroe, in his Fineview home in the 1700 block of Belleau Drive. Monroe reportedly argued with Frye’s mother, chocked her, left the bedroom and returned with a bloody knife, threatening her. When she fled the room, she saw her son unresponsive. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Monroe has been charged with criminal homicide, simple assault and terroristic threats. He is awaiting trial.
JULY 8—Nancy Whiteside, an 82-year-old White female from Moon Township, was found dead, along with her husband Donald, in their home at 1030 Sandhurst Dr., in Moon Township. Whiteside was allegedly killed by her husband and the incident has been ruled a murder-suicide.
JULY 12—Kevin Gibson, a 21-year-old Black male from Wilkinsburg, was found with multiple gunshot wounds inside a vehicle on Hill Avenue in Wilkinsburg, after an apparent drive-by shooting. One other person was also injured. Gibson was taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital where he later died. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
JULY 13—Lavar Rich, a 23-year-old Black male from New Kensington, was found dead, face down in a grassy area, with multiple gunshot wounds to the trunk near Brushton Avenue and Race Street in Homewood. He was reportedly visiting his girlfriend’s family when he was killed. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
JULY 13—Derrick Miles, a 44-year-old Black male from McKees Rocks, was found shot and lying in the street near Allen and Manton Way in Allentown. He was taken to UPMC Mercy where he later died. He had allegedly been in an altercation earlier in the evening outside of Stretch Bar on East Warrington Avenue. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
JULY 16—Victor Robinson, a 29-year-old Black male from Arlington, was found dead at a home on Amanda Street in Arlington. He reportedly may have been moving out of the home when he was killed. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
JULY 17—Naytel Pack, a 17-year-old Black male from Garfield, was found shot multiple times in the torso at Nelson Mandela Peace Park near Broad Street in Garfield. He died on his way to the hospital. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
JULY 21—John Parkes, a 59-year-old White male from Kennedy Township, was found shot to death by his live-in girlfriend, at his Poplar Street home in Kennedy Township. It is believed he was shot during a robbery. Michael Lapaglia, the nephew of Parke’s girlfriend, has been charged with his death. Lapaglia reportedly attempted to sell the stolen items to a pawnshop and was later identified. He is charged with criminal homicide, robbery and burglary. He is awaiting trial
JULY 22—David Calhoun, a 31-year-old Black male from Carrick, was fatally shot at a Carrick apartment building during an alleged home invasion in the 20 block of Merritt Avenue. He and another male, who was also shot, were allegedly attempting to rob the home when the renters shot them. Police found Calhoun dead at the scene and the other male, later identified as Christopher Thomas, was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital. The shooter will not be charged. Thomas, however, has been charged with carrying a firearm without a license, persons not to possess a firearm, aggravated assault, burglary, robbery, and criminal conspiracy. There was a warrant for his arrest in connection with an April rape. He is awaiting trial.
JULY 22—Glenn Walker, also reported as Glenn Walker Jr., a 39-year-old Black male from McKeesport, was fatally shot outside a vacant Homewood building in the 500 block of Albion Street. Walker and two other men had reportedly been discussing construction work when an argument ensued. Walker died and another man, who was shot in the eye, was taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
JULY 27—James Payne, a 58-year-old White male from Turtle Creek, died of head trauma he received while trying to break up a domestic dispute in front of his home in the 1200 block of Chestnut Street in Turtle Creek. Payne’s neighbor, Danny Washington, was allegedly assaulting his wife, when Payne intervened and was struck in the head. Payne was taken to Forbes Regional Hospital where he later died. Washington is expected to face homicide charges along with assault charges.
JULY 30—Eugene David, also reported as Eugene T. David Jr., a 19-year-old Black male from Braddock, was found shot to death, laying in the street in the 300 block of Penfort Street, in the Northview Heights Housing Complex. Reportedly, two groups had been arguing when an individual from one of the groups opened fire on the other group. David was pronounced dead at the scene. Another person was wounded and taken to Allegheny General. David was reportedly waiting to stand trial in September for another incident. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
JULY 31—Mark Williams, a 48-year-old Black male from the Hill District, was found shot to death in the 7300 block of Braddock Street in Homewood. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
June Homicides (6)
JUNE 1—Clayton Brunson, a 27-year-old Black male from Spring Hill, was shot at least once in the abdomen while at Ficklin’s Bar in the 1500 block of Fifth Avenue, in Uptown. He was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital, where he later died. Another man was also shot. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
JUNE 3—Frankie Trammell, a 24-year-old Black male from the Hill District, was fatally shot in the chest on Chauncey Drive, of the Hill District, in the Bedford Dwellings housing complex. He was taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, where he later died. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
JUNE 9—Marguerite Davis, a 79-year-old Black female from Duquesne, was hit in the head with a vodka bottle and fatally stabbed multiple times with a kitchen knife after an altercation with her son, Rodney Davis, in her home at 319 S. Second St., in Duquesne. Rodney Davis reportedly hit and stabbed his mother after she hit him in the hand. He is charged with homicide and is currently awaiting trial.
JUNE 18—Jose Negron Fernandez, a 21-year-old Hispanic male, was found shot to death in the 100 block of Third Street in Penn Hills after an alleged drug deal gone bad. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Traevon Nicholson and Marshall Thompson have been charged with homicide, conspiracy and weapons violations. They are currently awaiting trial.
JUNE 19—Nathan Hurrell, an 18-year-old White male from Penn Hills, was shot in the head when his friend, Damon Franklin’s gun discharged at Franklin’s Springwood Drive home in Penn Hills. According to previous reports, Hurrell, Franklin and some other friends were hanging out on the back porch, drinking beer and playing with a few guns that had been recovered and returned to Franklin earlier in the day. Franklin had, allegedly, been checking to see if the semi-automatic rifle had been loaded when it discharged, hitting Hurrell. Franklin has been charged with homicide and is currently awaiting trial.
JUNE 23—Andre Roberts, a 23-year-old Black male from the Hill District, was fatally shot in the back while in his car in the 2400 block of Webster Avenue, in the Hill District. After being shot, he allegedly got out of the vehicle, ran and collapsed. He was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital, where he later died. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
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