Pittsburgh police are continuing to investigate a shooting Saturday night in Fairywood that killed one man and injured three others.
The men were playing dice in the 400 block of West Prospect Avenue about 10 p.m. when police said a gold minivan and silver car drove northbound down the street. The vehicles stopped, and at least two people got out firing multiple shots.
Kason Barnes, 19, of Chartiers Avenue was struck in the head and was killed. Also hit were a 22-year-old man from Fairywood who sustained a minor gunshot wound to the hand; a 20-year-old Hill District man shot in the legs and side; and a third man from Sheraden, who was taken to Ohio Valley General Hospital privately — and later transferred to Allegheny General Hospital — for a minor gunshot wound to the leg.
All surviving victims were in stable condition, police said Sunday.
According to state court records, Mr. Barnes was charged with carrying a firearm without a license and possession with intent to deliver stemming from an arrest March 2, 2014.
He was released on bail a day later and had been scheduled for a nonjury trial before Common Pleas Judge Joseph K. Williams III on Sept. 9.
Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith, who represents the Fairywood neighborhood, said she had just been in the community about an hour before the shooting Saturday for a basketball tournament honoring slain Pittsburgh police officer Eric Kelly, who grew up in Fairywood.
She said she believes the problems there stem from one or two houses and that her office has been working with community groups and police to try to create more programming opportunities. There was just a meeting last week, she said, about building a fitness center.
“The answer has to be a combination effort — social services, the residents themselves and police — working with us,” Ms. Kail-Smith said.
She touted an ongoing turn-around in Fairywood, noting that in recent years Cellone’s Bakery has begun operating there, as well as Amazon, ModCloth and two OK Grocery warehouses.
“There’s a lot of positive things happening in that community,” Ms. Kail-Smith said. “It’s amazing to look at the transition.”
In the meantime, she said, police were increasing patrols in Fairywood.
Paula Reed Ward: pward@post-gazette.com, 412-263-2620 or on Twitter @PaulaReedWard.
First Published: August 17, 2015, 4:00 a.m.
