2 teens charged in shooting of 4 near Homewood’s Westinghouse Academy
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Two teens are facing charges in connection with a Valentine’s Day shooting that left four people shot near Westinghouse Academy in Homewood, city officials said Thursday.
Police Chief Larry Scirotto and Mayor Ed Gainey touted the arrests as proof that relationships have improved between police and residents, leading to arrests and drops in violent crime.
Police charged James Pritchard, 17, of Clairton, with eight counts of aggravated assault, five counts of recklessly endangering another person, four counts of attempted homicide and one count each of criminal conspiracy to commit homicide and firearms possession by a minor, court records show.
An unidentified 14-year-old was charged as a juvenile with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and conspiracy to commit homicide, Scirotto said.
The four counts of attempted homicide against Pritchard were withdrawn Wednesday during a preliminary hearing, court records show. The rest of the charges were sent to Allegheny County Common Pleas Court, where Pritchard is scheduled to be arraigned Dec. 14.
“We’re doing the best we can for these victims and their families,” Scirotto said.
The chief said improved community relationships led to witnesses of the shooting coming forward to police.
“Us coming together, we were able to capture the people who did this shooting,” Gainey told reporters.
“If you see something, say something — continue to do it,” Gainey added. “It’s working … we can see the progress.”
Violent homicides citywide are down 21% this year, while youth violent crime is down about 22%, Gainey said.
Attorney Casey White, who represents Pritchard, said he and his client were satisfied Wednesday with prosecutors dropping the four most serious charges.
“At this point in time, he is maintaining his innocence,” White said. “He looks forward to ultimately having this case property vetted.”
White said he and the Pritchard family are optimistic that the case might heard in juvenile court.
Police responded to North Murtland Street, near Westinghouse Academy, as the school was dismissing students on Feb. 14. A ShotSpotter alert had reported that 10 shots were fired in the area, according to a criminal complaint filed in the case.
Several people who were injured fled the scene and took shelter inside the school, the complaint said.
Responding officers found three victims in the school’s main office, with hand, arm and ankle wounds, the complaint said. They were hospitalized in stable condition.
A fourth victim was taken by private vehicle to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh for a gunshot wound to the left thigh, the complaint said.
At the time, police said two 15-year-old boys, a 17-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl, were shot
Investigators found at least 13 shell casings and fired bullets, several of them from a 9mm handgun, in the 7000 block of North Murtland and on Fielding Way, the complaint said.
Police said they identified Pritchard through surveillance footage from cameras in the area.
Pritchard also posted selfies of himself and firearms on Instagram of himself and firearms, the complaint said. In one photo from Jan. 20, the complaint said, he was wearing the same clothing as he wore on the day of the shooting.
Pritchard, 16 at the time of the shooting, was arrested this summer in an unrelated incident after police said he tried to flee from them in a stolen car. Police spotted Pritchard driving the car on the Birmingham Bridge on Aug. 13, the complaint said.
After stopping Pritchard, police said they found a 9mm pistol outside the stolen car that had been reported lost in Harrisburg. Testing done at the Allegheny County Crime Lab showed the gun matched the one used near Westinghouse Academy, the complaint said.