WPXI helps woman get safety improvements in her neighborhood after random, violent crime

PITTSBURGH — WPXI first introduced you to Sharese Anderson in February when she showed us her car riddled with bullet holes. Surveillance video from her house showed the moments she and her daughter were shot at seven times while pulling into their garage on Cassina Way in Homewood.

They were fortunately not hit. The suspects were able to run into feet-tall weeds and escape from police.

“They ran through all those weeds, the dog couldn’t get through,” Anderson recalls to Channel 11. “It’s an ambush, basically.”

>> Mother, daughter randomly shot at while trying to pull into their driveway in Homewood

Sharese told us she has been fighting for someone from the city to come mow the lot with those high weeds, beginning three months ago. So, we reached out to local councilman Khari Mosley in District 9.

“I called and said ‘Amy Hudak from WPXI gave me your number, I wanted to reach out because of the story I heard about was heartbreaking and how can we help,’” Councilman Mosley said.

Sharese said within days, the councilman called her and within a week, trucks were parked all along the alley, getting work done.

“If it wasn’t for you and Channel 11 News putting a spotlight on this, I don’t know what would have happened,” Anderson said.

The city plowed the huge plot of land where suspects would take off or hide in. They also added new LED lights along the Cassina Way alley. Councilman Mosley says the alley is now on the city’s pave list.

Sharese says there is no doubt in her mind, that these improvements will cut down on crime. You can now see clear from Cassina Way to Tioga Street and so can the police.

“You’re right in the wide open, you’re going to be seen,” Anderson said. “Illuminated lights and all this being cleared, nobody is going to try to do anything, they’ll be caught immediately. I’m glad I’m alive and I’m glad there is change from it.”

Councilman Mosley says seven weeks into his term, these stories are the reason he ran for office in the first place.

“This is a team effort, showing how the media and community and different levels of government can work together to get things done,” Councilman Mosley added.

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