Allegheny County police yesterday upgraded the charges against a man whose actions allegedly led to the shooting death of a 12-year-old Wilkinsburg boy last month.

Even though Donald "Tank" Wilson is not the one who fired the shot that killed Kholen Germany, police have charged him with homicide.

"His actions started the chain of events that led to the death of Kholen Germany," said Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr.

According to a criminal complaint, Mr. Wilson, who police said was wearing a blue bandana around his face, fired shots from a 9 mm handgun into the front of "From Head 2 Toe" at 1025 Wood St. in the early evening of April 18.

When he fired the weapon, Kholen, who had been outside near the front of the store, ran inside, police said.

Investigators said someone inside believed that Kholen was the person doing the shooting, and that he fired at the boy in what Mr. Zappala called "imperfect self-defense."

"The person in the store is much less culpable in Kholen's death than Wilson," he said.

Police are looking for a man named Korey Johnson for questioning. Mr. Zappala said it's possible that Mr. Johnson was the person who fired inside the store and hit Kholen.

To win a third-degree murder conviction against Mr. Wilson, prosecutors will have to prove malice, Mr. Zappala said. They'll do that, he added, by showing that Mr. Wilson fired his gun on a crowded street and into an occupied structure, and in the direction of two children.

Mr. Wilson initially was charged with aggravated assault and attempted homicide.

The counts now against him are homicide, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, involuntary manslaughter and carrying a firearm without a license.