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DA says community safe despite no arrests yet in Wilkinsburg mass shooting

WILKINSBURG, Pa. — Two of four people questioned in the six weeks since the Wilkinsburg mass shooting are out of jail as they await their hearings on a separate case from more than three years ago.

While it remains unclear who is responsible for the deaths of the six shooting victims, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala reassured the community Wednesday that they are safe.

“You don’t have to worry about these guys being out on the streets and hurting you,” he said.

When asked to clarify if the people responsible for the shooting are already behind bars, Zappala simply replied, “No comment.”

Robert Thomas is the only person so far to be named a suspect in the case, but no charges in connection with the shooting have been filed against him. He’s currently in jail on unrelated charges from 2013 involving guns and drugs.

Cheron Shelton is also still behind bars facing the same charges. He has been questioned twice about the shooting in Wilkinsburg, but he has not been named as a suspect. %

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Channel 11 News learned Wednesday that Justin Gomez and Ashley White, the other two people charged in the 2013 incident and questioned about the Wilkinsburg shooting, have been released on bail.

Zappala said the investigation into the mass shooting is getting close to its conclusion, but added there’s no timetable for when charges will be filed.%

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“Yeah, we want to accommodate the community. I made the statement that the community can feel safe because the community can feel safe. I want them to know that. In terms of charging, we’ll charge when it’s appropriate to charge,” he said.

Thomas, Shelton, Gomez and Smith are scheduled to have their preliminary hearings on the 2013 guns and drugs charges in two weeks.