The month of March ended with six homicides, all Black victims, bringing Allegheny County’s total number of homicides to 20, 15 of them Black men and women. Also, the total: 20 homicides, 15 Blacks and 13 Black men, is the same as this time last year. But whereas there were six homicides this month, March 2013 had nine.
The blatant disregard for life that the individuals committing these crimes have is disgusting and intolerable. Isn’t it bad enough that we have to protect our young Black men from over zealous police officers who go by their “own codes” instead of the ones that have already been established; so that they do not become another Jordan Miles, Leon Ford Jr., or worse, a Jonny Gammage?
How can we prosper as a people when there are people who are being shot in the head and left on city steps, being killed in bars or in their homes like 10-year-old Taniyah Thomas, who was shot in the head while running for safety during an attempted home invasion of her Washington County home, or Rasheed Strader, who was killed in front of his home, in the same spot and almost four years from the day his brother was killed; at the hands of our own people.
It’s time to come together and put an end to the Black on Black violence. How many more families must suffer?
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 20 murders, thus far, in 2014—15 were Black and 13 were Black men.
March Homicides (6)
MARCH 1—Vincent Holt Jr., a 27-year-old Black male from Homewood, was shot to death in the rendezvous Phase III bar in the 7300 block of Hamilton Avenue in Homewood. Holt was pronounced dead at the scene, four others were injured. One person was charged, then charges were later dropped. No one new has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
MARCH 24—Kenneth Lampkin, also reported as Kenneth Lampkin by the Office of the Allegheny County Medical Examiner, a 16-year-old Black male from Knoxville, was fatally shot in the head by his friend on March 22 during an alleged game of “army” at his Knoxville home on Zara Street. He was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital where he died days later. Joseph Robinson Jr. has been charged as an adult with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence, a firearms violation and criminal homicide.
MARCH 24—Rasheed Strader, an 18-year-old Black male from Troy Hill died from a single gunshot wound to the chest outside of his mother’s home on Goettman Street in Troy Hill. He was found between two vehicles and pronounced dead at the scene. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
MARCH 25—Jamarow Trowery, a 36-year-old Black male from Wilkinsburg was found dead with a gunshot wound to the chest in an SUV that had crashed into the back of Radiant Life Alliance Church on Kincaid Street in Garfield. He and another person, Rashad Freeman, were shot to death in the vehicle, while allegedly going to pick up another person. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
MARCH 25—Rashad Freeman, an 18-year-old Black male from Verona, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the neck in an SUV that had crashed into Radiant Life Alliance Church on Kincaid Street in Garfield. He and another male, Jamarow Trowery, were shot while in the vehicle. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
MARCH 29—Tymere Pryor, a 17-year-old Black male from Pittsburgh, was found with a gunshot wound to the back of his head by pedestrians on a set of steps near Webster Avenue and Orion Street in the Hill District. He was taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital where he later died. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
February Homicides (5)
FEB. 8—Susan Wolfe, a 44-year-old White female from East Liberty, was found shot to death, along with her sister Sarah Wolfe, in the basement of the home they shared together in the 700 block of Chislett Street, in East Liberty. Officers were dispatched to the home after a report that one of the females did not show up to work. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
FEB. 8—Sarah Wolfe, a 38-year-old White female from East Liberty, was found shot to death, along with her sister Susan Wolfe, in the basement of their Chislett Street home in East Liberty. The women were found by officers, when they went to the home after receiving reports that one of the females did not show up to work. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
FEB. 11—Richard Didonato, a 66-year-old White male from Bellevue, was found lying on the sidewalk, in the 1200 block of Woodland Avenue, on the North Side, with a fatal gunshot wound to the torso. He was taken to Allegheny General Hospital, where he later died. Other media have reported that it may have been a robbery gone wrong. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
FEB. 19—Orlando Ferguson, a 20-year-old Black male from McKees Rocks, was found with multiple gunshot wounds in front of a building in the Uansa Village housing complex near Helen and Robb Street in McKees Rocks. He was taken to Allegheny General Hospital, where he later died. Trevon Kendrick is charged with Ferguson’s homicide, along with conspiracy and two gun violation charges. He is currently awaiting his trial.
FEB. 23—Kenneth Stubbs, a 53-year-old Black male from East Liberty, was found shot to death in a wooded area near Manilla and Hilda Streets in Penn Hills. Stubbs was a Pittsburgh business owner. It was reported that he was dead for hours before he was found. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
January Homicides (9)
JAN. 9—Imani Porter, a 20-year-old Black male from Point Breeze, was found fatally shot in the head in the driver’s side of his vehicle parked in the parking lot of the Steak ‘n Shake restaurant, in Homestead, after an alleged drug deal gone bad. Porter reportedly met with two males to sell them heroine; when they entered the vehicle they pulled out a gun and one of the males shot him in the head. He was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital; where he later died. Jaron Young, who will be charged as an adult, and Paul Sanders have been charged with criminal homicide, robbery and conspiracy. Young is awaiting trial and Sanders has not been apprehended.
JAN. 15—Amy Gorsuch, a 40-year-old White female from Pittsburgh was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head, at the residence she once shared with her estranged husband, Richard Gorsuch, on Dinsmore Avenue in Crafton. Gorsuch and Richard Gorsuch had reportedly been separated for months. Gorsuch allegedly went to the home after an evening with her brother, while their three children were at her father’s house, where she had been living. After she did not return, her father went to the house and found her body, along with Richard Gorsuch’s body. Richard Gorsuch allegedly shot her and then himself. It has been ruled a murder-suicide.
JAN. 16—Frederick Douglas Jr., of Homewood, was found lying on the ground in the 7100 block of Kedron Street, in Homewood, with gunshot wounds to his stomach and leg. He was pronounced dead at the scene. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
JAN. 20—Hosea Davis, a 37-year-old Black male from Penn Hills, was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds to the torso in the middle of an alley in the 6400 block of Rapidan Way in Larimer. Davis was reportedly shot and then shot several additional times at close range while he was already on the ground. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A warrant has been issued for Rodney Howard. He is facing a charge of criminal homicide and has not been apprehended.
JAN. 23—Catherine Willett, a 79-year-old White female from Bloomfield was found in the bedroom of their home at 4650 Rosina Way in Bloomfield with a gunshot wound. Her husband, Phillip Willett, reportedly was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. He allegedly shot her and then tried to shoot himself, but the gun jammed. He is charged with criminal homicide and is awaiting trial.
JAN. 23—Cheralynn Sabatasso, a 36-year-old Black female from Knoxville, was found shot in the head in the driver’s seat, along with Jason Eubanks, at the intersection of Grimes Avenue and Zara Street, in Knoxville. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Antoine Ward is charged with two counts of criminal homicide and two counts of firearms violation.
JAN. 23—Jason Eubanks, a 36-year-old Black male from Knoxville, was found shot in the head in the passenger’s side of a vehicle, along with Cheralynn Sabatasso, at the intersection of Grimes Avenue and Zara Street. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Antoine Ward is charged with two counts of criminal homicide and two counts of firearms violation.
JAN. 27—Charles Hull, a 56-year-old Black male from Penn Hills, was shot and killed by a Penn Hills police officer during a standoff at a home in the 10000 block of Calvin Street in Penn Hills. Hull reportedly went to the home of his girlfriend and fired shots into the home. When police arrived, Hull was in the house and his girlfriend ran outside to safety. As they assisted her to safety, Hull allegedly emerged with a gun and aiming it at officers. After ignoring several commands to put down the weapon, Hull was shot. He was taken to a local hospital; where he later died. It was reported by other media outlets that Hull may have been upset because he was going to be arraigned soon for an incident that occurred in October 2013. The officer has been placed on administrative leave while the incident is further investigated, which is standard protocol.
JAN. 28—Susan Sidney, a 25-year-old Black female from McKeesport, was found fatally shot in the chest and arm in the 900 block of McCleary Street, in McKeesport, while walking with a male to a convenience store. Sidney was taken to UPMC McKeesport Hospital; where she later died. It is believed she was not the intended target, but that the male she was walking with was. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
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