Suspects sought in Pennsylvania community center shooting that killed 1, wounded 8
INDIANA, Pa. (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a Pittsburgh-area man killed in a shooting that also wounded eight other people at a private party in a Pennsylvania community center over the weekend.
The man, identified by the Indiana County coroner’s office as 22-year-old Jamar M. Porterfield Herriot Jr. of Homestead, was among nine people between the ages of 18 and 23 who were shot at about 12:35 a.m. Sunday at the Chevy Chase Community Center in White Township, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Pittsburgh.
Police say they believe there was more than one shooter. They are seeking surveillance video, asking local homes and businesses to check doorbell cameras and requesting that anyone missing items — such as the cellphones and clothing found at the center — to contact them, authorities said.
Herriot died at the scene and an 18-year-old man from Chicago was critically injured. Also wounded were another 18-year-old from Florida and six men and women from Pennsylvania — three men ages 19, 20 and 22; two 19-year-old women; and a 23-year-old woman, police said.
Lt. Col. George Bivens said dozens of shots were fired and there may have been a gun battle inside the building, where people dove from windows and bolted through doors trying to escape. Many fired shell casings and “multiple firearms” had been recovered, along with other evidence such as clothing and cellphones, he said.
Bivens said more than 150 people were believed to be present at the event, which required payment before entry. Officials are tracking down who rented the venue and who was hosting the event, Bivens said.
Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers has announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to arrests and prosecution, and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has offered up to $5,000 more, Bivens said.
The shooting was about 2 miles (3 kilometers) from the campus of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, which was having its homecoming weekend. The school’s vice president for student affairs, Thomas Segar, said two of the injured were students. Campus activities are continuing with enhanced police presence.
Dozens of people, including some university students, attended a vigil Sunday night on the steps of the county courthouse, about a mile away from the community center, The (Johnstown) Tribune-Democrat reported. Some people embraced while listening to speakers as others shed tears, the newspaper reported.
The Chevy Chase Community Center was built in 1971 by a group established in 1969 to fight poverty and help those in need, according to its website. The center says its mission is to “cultivate, nurture, and sustain a peaceful and inclusive culture that brings community together with positivity, diversity, inclusion, education, nutrition, and love.”
District Attorney Robert Manzi Jr., a board member, said the center provides “meals and a community atmosphere for people in need.”