MATTHEW STEFFY-ROSS, 17, IN AN INTERVIEW YOU WILL ONLY SEE ON. 4 ASHL?EY ASHLEY: THAT’S STRAIGHT, MATTHEW’S GREAT AUNT AND COUSIN SPENT THE AFTERNOON AT ME, SHARING STORSIE ABOUT THEIR BELOVED. HIS GREAT-AUNT SAYS SHE SPOKEN WITH HIM HOURS JUST BEFORE HE ATTENDED A PARTY IN THIS HOUSE BEHIND ME. >> I DRINK IN THE MORNING, OK? THAT WAS THE LAST TIME I SPEAK TO HIM. BECAUSE WHEN I ARRIVED THE NEXT MORNING HE WAS NOT HOME. I DID NOT KNOW WHY. I DID NOT KNOW WHY. ASHLEY: IT WAS SHORTLY AFTER BONNIE MCLAIN LEARNED THAT HER GREAT-NEPHEW WAS SHOT AND KIEDLL WHEN HE ATTENDED A PARTY. BUT TODAY, MATTHEW’S AUNT EAGRT IS FOCUSING ON GOOD. >> HE HAD A FRIEND WHO REALLY FINDS CLOTHES. HE TOLD ME WHEN HE GOT PAID, I’M GOING TO AUNT GESOME BONNIE PANTS, BECAUSE HE HAS NO PANTS. IT WAS THAT CHILD. BIGGEST SMILE IN THE WORLD AS YOU CAN SEE. IF YOU WIN PHOTOS OF HIM HE CARE ABOUT PEOPLE AND HE LOVED PEOPLE. AND HE ACTED ON .IT ASHLEY: MATTHEW’S MENTOR LEE DAVIS TOLD US THE 17-YEARLD-O WAS READY TO LAUNCH A CLOTHING LINE AND WANTED TO SURPRISE HIS BIG AU.NT >> THE FIRST T- SHIRT THAT WAS GOING TO COME OFF THE LINE WAS GOING TO GO TO AUNT BONNIE’S. IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR HIM TO HAVE THIS T-SHIRT OF HER BECAUSE OF HOW IMPORTANT IT HAS BEEN IN HIS LIFE. ASHLEY: MATTHEW’S COUSIN, JEANA, WAS EVOLVED TALKING ABOUT THIS FUTURE. >> NOBODY DESERVES IT. BUT HE DID NOT. [CRYING] AND IT’S HARD. BECAUSE IT’S DIFFICULT TO CONTINUE. ASHLEY: BONNIE SAYS HER GREAT-NEPHEW ACCEPTED EVERYONE. A BOY WHO WAS KIND AND NON-JUDICAL. AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT IT WANTS THE ITTO COMMUNITY TO DO NOW DURING THIS CHALLENGING TIME. >> AND SO ALL I AM SAID, PLEASE PEOPLE DON’T PAINT THESE CHILDREN WITH NE O BSHRU EACH OF YOUR HAND TO THEM. REACH THEM WITH KINDNESS. ASHLEY: BONNIE SAYS MATTHEW’S PARENTS WERE TOO DISTURBED TO TALK TO US, BUT THEY WANT THEIR SENSE STORY TO BE SHARED WITH EVERYONE. AS FOR THE T-SHIRTS, THEY WILL ALWAYS BE OFFERED OUTEX NT MONTH IN HIS HONOR. LIVE REPORT, ASHLEY ZILKA, PITTSBURGH‘S ACTION NEWS 4. ANDREW: ASHLEY, THANK YOU. THE OTHER VICTIM IS JAIDEN BROWN, 17. HE WAS ABOUT TO TURN 18 AND GRUAADTE OF WOODLAND HILLS HIGH SCHOOL. LEE DAVIS MENTORED BOTH AND HAS KNOWN JAIDEN SINCE HE WAS A CHILD. >> HE WAS A GREAT YOUNG MAN. THAT HE HAD A BRIGHT FUTURE. HE DOESN’T DESERVE WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM AND JUST HE LET YOU ALL KNOW WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO IN REGARDS TO PREVENTING ASIO VLENCE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. NOT JUST THE CITY, IN THE WHOLE COUNTY.
Matthew Steffy-Ross’ family speaks out after mass shooting in North Pittsburgh
Steffy-Ross was one of two teenagers killed in Sunday’s shooting in Pittsburgh’s North End.
Matthew Steffy-Ross’ family spoke exclusively to Action News 4 of Pittsburgh and shared stories about the 17-year-old. Steffy-Ross was one of two teenagers killed in Sunday’s mass shooting on Pittsburgh’s North Side. Watch the full story in the video player above. Steffy-Ross’ great-aunt, Bonnie McLain, said she spoke to him hours before the shooting. “I said I would see you tomorrow morning. That was the last time I spoke to him because when I arrived the next morning he wasn’t home, but I didn’t know why. I did not know why. My neighbor came out and she told me about it, about the mass shooting, I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach only because I hadn’t seen it. He wasn’t there,” McLain said. Shortly after, McLain learned that his great-nephew had been shot and killed while attending a party. On Tuesday, McLain wanted to focus on the good memories. “Matthew was a fun, loving kid who cared so much about everyone. Matthew would give you the shirt off your back. He had a friend who really didn’t have a lot of clothes and he told me, when he was paid: “I’m going to buy him some pants, Aunt Bonnie, because he has no pants. It was that kid. The biggest smile in the world as you can see, if you look at pictures of him, he cared about people and he loved people, and he acted on it,” McLain said. Steffy-Ross’ mentor Lee Davis said the 17-year-old was ready to launch a clothing line and wanted to surprise his great aunt. to his Aunt Bonnie. It was very important to him that this T-shirt returned to him because of the importance she had for him in his life, “said Davis. “He had finally a goal. He had something he was interested in. He had something he was passionate about and he helped bring it out in him,” Mc said. lain. Matthew’s cousin Jeana McLain got emotional talking about that future. hearing the stories, someone turns around and takes their life back, and starts to see their own light and have hope for the future and the possibilities and something like that happens. That’s how I felt, like no, not Matthew, because no one deserved it, but he definitely didn’t, and it’s hard because it’s hard to keep going,” said Jeana McLain. Bonnie McLain says her great-nephew accepted everyone; a boy who was kind and non-judgmental. This is exactly what she wants the community to do now during this difficult time. “A child is a child. They’re gonna do things that kids do, and I’ve done that, I’ve been to parties that I shouldn’t have been to, I’ve done other things… and so all I’m saying is that. please people don’t paint these kids with just one brush. Reach out to them. Reach out to them with kindness,” McLain said.
Matthew Steffy-Ross’ family spoke exclusively to Action News 4 of Pittsburgh and shared stories about the 17-year-old.
Steffy-Ross was one of two teenagers killed in Sunday’s shooting in Pittsburgh’s North End.
Watch the full story in the video player above.
Steffy-Ross’ great-aunt, Bonnie McLain, said she spoke to him hours before the shooting.
“I said I would see you tomorrow morning. That was the last time I spoke to him because when I arrived the next morning he wasn’t home, but I didn’t know why. I did not know why. My neighbor came out and she told me about it, about the mass shooting, I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach only because I hadn’t seen it. He wasn’t there,” McLain said.
Shortly after, McLain learned that his great-nephew had been shot and killed while attending a party.
On Tuesday, McLain wanted to focus on the good memories.
“Matthew was a fun, loving kid who cared so much about everyone. Matthew would give you the shirt off your back. He had a friend who really didn’t have a lot of clothes and he told me, when he was paid: “I’m going to buy him some pants, Aunt Bonnie, because he has no pants. It was that kid. The biggest smile in the world as you can see, if you look at pictures of him, he cared about people and he loved people, and he acted on it,” McLain said.
Steffy-Ross’ mentor, Lee Davis, said the 17-year-old was ready to launch a clothing line and wanted to surprise his great-aunt.
“The first T-shirt that was going to come out of the line was going to go to his Aunt Bonnie. It was very important to him that this t-shirt came to him because of how important she was to him in his life,” Davis said.
“He finally had a goal. He had something that interested him. He had something he was passionate about and he helped bring it out in him,” McLain said.
Matthew’s cousin Jeana McLain got emotional talking about that future.
“You know you always hear the stories, someone turns around and picks up their life, and starts to see their own light and have hope for the future and the possibilities and something like that happens. That’s how I felt, like no, not Matthew, because no one deserved it, but he definitely didn’t, and it’s hard because it’s hard to keep going,” said Jeana McLain.
Bonnie McLain says her great-nephew accepted everyone; a boy who was kind and non-judgmental. This is exactly what she wants the community to do now during this difficult time.
“A child is a child. They’re gonna do things that kids do, and I’ve done that, I’ve been to parties that I shouldn’t have been to, I’ve done other things… and so all I’m saying is that. please people don’t paint these kids with just one brush. Reach out to them. Reach out to them with kindness,” McLain said.
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