Police say felon found with stolen gun when SUV was pulled over after fight in New Kensington

A New Kensington man who is not allowed to possess a gun is accused of having a stolen pistol tucked in his waistband when an SUV in which he was a passenger was pulled over.

Michael Lamar Harris Sr., 47, of the 300 block of Third Avenue was charged with felony counts of illegal possession of a firearm, carrying a firearm without a license and receiving stolen property.

He was being detained in the Westmoreland County jail in lieu of a $50,000 cash bond to await a preliminary hearing Jan. 11 before District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr.

A New Kensington police officer wrote in Harris’ arrest papers that he was dispatched shortly before 10:30 p.m. Dec. 28 to the 800 block of Seventh Street for a report of a fight in the street in which a gun was fired.

Two men flagged down an officer and identified the vehicle with the shooter inside as a white Lincoln SUV, according to a criminal complaint.

The officer pulled over the SUV and asked the occupants to identify themselves because of the incident that was reported, the complaint said. The driver also gave police permission to search the Lincoln, according to police.

Harris was the first person to get out of the SUV and was told he would be patted down for weapons, police said.

Before the search was conducted, Harris told the officer he had a gun on his hip, which was confiscated, according to the complaint.

Police said the 9 mm Glock had a bullet in the chamber ready to fire and seven rounds in the clip. The gun was reported stolen out of Whitehall and may have been taken during the commission of a burglary or homicide, according to investigators.

Harris pleaded guilty in February 2022 to a DUI charge. He was sentenced to three to six days in jail and six months of probation, court records show. The charges were filed by Springdale police in August 2021.

In 2017, Harris pleaded guilty to a felony count of carrying a firearm without a license and a drug charge. He was sentenced to six months of electronic monitoring followed by 18 months of probation. The charges were filed the previous year by the Port Authority Police, court records show.

In 1999, Harris pleaded guilty to counts of indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors and drug possession. He was sentenced to 10 years of probation.