July 28, 2021 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Crime and Police News
McKeesport and Elizabeth Twp. police joined local elected officials on Wednesday morning as state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, center, announced a major new task force aimed at drug and gun trafficking. (Tube City Almanac photo)
Local and state officials will not accept that McKeesport area residents must put up with drug trafficking and gun violence, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Wednesday morning.
“I am done — done — hearing about how McKeesport is one of ‘the most dangerous cities in America,’” Shapiro said at a news conference to announce the creation of tje Region V Strategic Response Team in the attorney general’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation. “I refuse to accept that, and no one up here is willing to accept that.”
Shapiro was flanked by McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko, police Chief Adam Alfer, Assistant Chief Mark Steele, state Sen. Jim Brewster, state Rep. Austin Davis, acting Elizabeth Twp. police Chief Adam Blake and Brenda Sawyer, a former McKeesport police officer who now serves as regional director of the state Bureau of Narcotics Investigation.
Read More
July 24, 2021 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Crime and Police News, McKeesport and Region News
An 18-year-old died early Saturday morning following a shooting at a home on Soles Street.
Dontae McKenith was pronounced dead at the scene, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office said. Allegheny County homicide detectives said Phillip Payne, 16, surrendered to McKeesport police at 8 a.m. and will be charged in connection with the death.
County police Lt. Venerando Costa said detectives believe that McKenith and Payne were passing a handgun back and forth when Payne pointed it at McKenith and pulled the trigger, striking him at least once. Payne fled the scene before police and paramedics arrived, Costa said.
The investigation is ongoing and police did not say whether there was a motive for the shooting or it was accidental. Payne in awaiting arraignment on charges of criminal homicide and firearms offenses, Costa said.
Payne turned himself at the McKeesport police station without incident, police said.
July 23, 2021 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
Update: Owens surrendered to Allegheny County police at 2 p.m. Saturday (July 24).
A second teen-ager has been charged with homicide in connection with the March 13 shooting death of a Duquesne man.
Allegheny County police on Friday obtained a warrant for the arrest of Carlo Owens, 14, of Duquesne on charges of criminal homicide, robbery and conspiracy.
County police previously arrested another 14-year-old, Tyion Simmons-McClain, also of Duquesne, and charged him with criminal homicide and robbery. Both youths are charged as adults.
Read More
July 21, 2021 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A former city man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with suspected drug trafficking.
A spokeswoman for Acting U.S. Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman said Brock J. Cochran, 30, is charged with possession with intent to deliver cocaine and the synthetic painkiller fentanyl.
A grand jury returned the indictment this week in connection with an incident that happened June 29, the spokeswoman said.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 40 years, a fine not to exceed $5 million or both. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case, Kaufman’s office said.
July 20, 2021 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A Duquesne man is wanted in connection with an assault Tuesday morning in Wilmerding that also caused an “Amber Alert” about a possible child abduction.
Nicholas Lomax, 28, is charged by Allegheny County police with use of an electric device to incapacitate another person, simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct.
Lomax’s 8-month-old daughter was found, unharmed, in Versailles, county police said. She had been reported missing from McKees Rocks and was the subject of a child-abduction alert from Pennsylvania State Police.
Read More
July 09, 2021 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A White Oak woman died Wednesday afternoon after being struck in the parking lot of UPMC East hospital in Monroeville.
Josephine Mayni, 92, died in the emergency room of AHN Forbes Hospital shortly after the incident, the Allegheny County medical examiner’s office said.
Allegheny County police said Mayni was a pedestrian in the garage when she was struck by a car just after 2 p.m. She was taken by ambulance to Forbes Regional where she was pronounced dead.
Family members said Mayni had been a volunteer at UPMC East for seven years.
The county police Homicide Unit and Collision Reconstruction Unit are investigating. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call county police at 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Callers may remain anonymous.
July 07, 2021 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A McKeesport woman died following a one-car crash Saturday afternoon near the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge.
Levona Hawkins, 50, was pronounced dead at the scene, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office said.
Allegheny County police said the wreck happened in the 500 block of Pirl Street just after 4 p.m. The vehicle in which Hawkins was traveling was found over a hillside. Police said she had been thrown from the car.
The county police homicide unit and collision reconstruction unit are investigating, police said, and are seeking witnesses to the crash.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the county police tip line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous, police said.
June 29, 2021 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
Foul play is not suspected in the death of a man who was found unconscious in a swimming pool at a home on Grandview Avenue Monday afternoon.
The victim was identified as Kurt Bills, 34, said the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office. The cause and manner of death are pending an autospy.
McKeesport police Chief Adam Alfer said Bills had been swimming with a family member at home. The family member went inside for a brief period of time and came back outside to find Bills unresponsive.
Paramedics were called and attempts were made to revive Bills, Alfer said, but he was pronounced dead at UPMC McKeesport hospital. Police are awaiting the medical examiner’s ruling, he said.
June 24, 2021 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A McKeesport woman is free on $25,000 bond pending a preliminary hearing on charges related to a May 2 shooting that sent another woman to the hospital.
Olivia Faith Lynn Lewis, 22, is charged by McKeesport police with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.
According to a police report, officers were dispatched to Building 55 of the Crawford Village housing development just before 6 p.m. when a ShotSpotter sensor detected a gun shot. A 9-1-1 call was received one minute later, reporting a shooting.
Read More
June 24, 2021 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A McKeesport woman faces a preliminary hearing Friday in connection with a crash involving a school bus.
Lakeya Dodoo, 42, is free on her own recognizance pending proceedings before Magisterial District Judge Eugene Riazzi.
According to a police report, on the afternoon of June 2, a black Ford Fusion sedan collided with the bus on Eden Park Boulevard, not far from the McKeesport Area High School campus.
Read More
