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Death of teenager in McKeesport ruled homicide

MCKEESPORT, Pa. — The shooting death of a 14-year-old boy in McKeesport has been ruled homicide.

William Chaffin was killed Tuesday afternoon at a home on Ridge Street. He was a student at McKeesport Area High School.

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A 19-year-old was questioned in Chaffin’s death, but no charges have been filed. Police said he and Chaffin were the only ones in the home at the time of the shooting.

RELATED: 14-year-old shot to death in McKeesport

Chaffin's mother said she is nor related to the 19-year-old or his family, but the two families have been close for years. She said no one from the teen's family has reached out to her to explain what happened or just to offer a hug.

"I'm angry that this happened to my son, but if you're my family, why, why aren't you providing the right information? Why aren't you here to comfort me?" said Carin Williams, Chaffin's mother. "It feels like a punch to the stomach, you know. My heart aches so bad."

Williams said she was ready to accept that her son's death was a terrible accident until Wednesday night.

"He shouldn't have been with no 19 year olds at all. He shouldn't have been with them," she said. "I think they was maybe messing with him, with the gun, teasing him with the gun, whatever. Trying to scare him. Maybe it went off, but I don't think one second it was an accident," he said. "I wish I could have been there to protect my son."

She said she also wanted to reiterate that her son did not bring the shotgun into the house.

"I do not think that. I know that my son did not play with guns," Williams.

She said her son usually spent his afterschool time playing sports, and basketball and football were his passions.

The medical examiner said even though Chaffin's death was ruled a homicide, that only means that he died at the hands of another person. It does not necessarily mean that charges of murder will be filed. It was not clear if the district attorney will find enough evidence to charge someone in connection with the shooting.

There are five manners of death: natural, accidental, suicide, homicide and undetermined. Homicide is defined as the killing of one person by another. Criminal homicide is what is commonly called murder. In this case, no criminal homicide charges have been filed as the case remains under investigation.

Stay with Channel 11 News and WPXI.com for continuing coverage.

 

Cox Media Group

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