One man is dead and another behind bars after what police described as a love triangle turned violent Sunday night inside a Washington County home.
Christopher Harper, 18, of Ellsworth is accused by Pennsylvania State Police of breaking into a residence along Walnut Street in Ellsworth and shooting Elijah Johnson, 21, of Carnegie. First responders were called to the scene around 11:20 p.m. and administered care to Johnson, but he died on scene.
In a news conference Monday, state police spokesman Rocco Gagliardi said the two had a “romantic relation” with a woman who lives inside of the home. Harper and the woman were expecting a child together, Gagliardi later told TribLive news partner WTAE.
Harper fled the scene, according to Gagliardi, but was arrested around 12 hours later by New Castle police and transferred to state police custody. His charges include homicide, burglary and carrying a firearm without a license, all felonies, as well as two counts of misdemeanor reckless endangerment.
He’s being held in the Washington County Jail without bail ahead of his Sept. 3 preliminary hearing.
State police are still completing their investigation, Gagliardi said.
