Pittsburgh leaders prepare for a busy weekend amid ongoing violence

The city of Pittsburgh and police officials held a catch-all news conference Friday afternoon to discuss safety measures this weekend on the North Rim and South Side, though they declined to give updates on high-profile ongoing investigations.

Violence in the city’s south, particularly along the East Carson Street entertainment district, has been in the spotlight after a spate of shootings over the past few weekends. Mayor Ed Gainey said he planned to visit the area around closing time one evening this weekend, although he declined to give details.

“We want everyone to come here and we want them to have fun in a responsible way and to be able to enjoy and support responsible businesses on Carson Street,” Gainey said. “But we can’t have the disruptive behavior that erupted in our South Side, and we plan to focus all of our policing efforts on that behavior.”

He said he also plans to meet with business owners and South Side residents next week.

Public safety officials also said law enforcement will be on hand for the masses Kenny Chesney’s concert will bring to Heinz Field on Saturday, including on the rivers.

Officials went through a list of recent arrests made in multiple homicides:

• Khatrell Haynes-Morgan in the death of Glenn Davenport on June 1;

• Zahvair Palmer in the filming of Adam Cloud on March 19;

• Markez Anger, who was wanted in connection with the May 28 drive-by shooting that killed a baby in downtown Pittsburgh.


Related:

• ‘Enforce the Laws’: South Side business owners fear for safety of bosses and employees after spate of shootings
• South side shooter used stolen weapon, victim fired back, police say
• Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey unveils plan to address violence in the city


• Authorities also released information about a homicide earlier this week that ended Friday in Philadelphia. Police said Sharay Newson was reported missing on Tuesday and found dead at her Pittsburgh home the next day. Investigators filed charges against her husband, John Newson, and tracked her whereabouts to Philadelphia.

US Marshals in Philadelphia were executing the warrant at a house where they had been tracking John Newson when shots were fired inside. A SWAT team responded and John Newson was found dead inside of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Police chiefs declined to provide an update on several other high-profile homicides in the city, including the Easter Sunday mass shooting at a North Side Airbnb party. Two teenagers were killed and at least 10 others were injured when gunfire rang out at the largely underage party.

“There are a lot of layers to this and a lot of hours that go into it,” said Cmdr. Richard Ford. “There’s a lot going on behind the scenes.”

He asked anyone with information – including those who may have already spoken to police but have more information – to come forward.

Officials also said they could not comment on the January shooting outside a North Side school that killed 15-year-old Marquess Campbell of Pittsburgh.

Megan Guza is editor of Tribune-Review. You can contact Megan at 412-380-8519, [email protected] or via Twitter .

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