Man facing attempted homicide charges shot, seeks help at South Side church

PITTSBURGH — A man set to stand trial on attempted homicide charges was shot Tuesday night in Pittsburgh’s Arlington Heights neighborhood, the victim’s lawyer told Channel 11 News.

Police said the victim, who was identified as Elliot Blackwell by attorney Phil DiLucente, was in stable condition when taken to a hospital via an ambulance after seeking help at a church at the intersection of South 27th and Jane streets on Pittsburgh’s South Side. Blackwell was a passenger in a vehicle en route to the hospital when the driver stopped to ask for help at the church. He had been shot three times: once in the leg, once in the shoulder and once in the chest.

Authorities said the alleged scene of the shooting was found near the intersection of Cordell Place and Arlington Avenue in Arlington Heights. Police said it is possible that two groups were shooting at each other when Blackwell was injured.

No arrests have been made.

The Group Violence Initiative is continuing the investigation.

DiLucente told Channel 11 News that Blackwell was supposed to begin his trial earlier Tuesday on attempted homicide charges from an incident in February. He said Tuesday marked the third time that Blackwell had been shot at in less than a year.

Channel 11 News learned Blackwell was arrested in February for grazing a man with a bullet after firing his gun, but he was released from jail after posting bail. DiLucente claimed Blackwell was not the first to fire in the case.

“I don't want to speculate that (Tuesday’s shooting) is retaliation, but when a person gets shot three times in less than year - and the second time (is) charged, one can only speculate that someone is trying to shoot at my client and my client is the victim,” DiLucente said.

Cox Media Group