Police: 2 teens charged for shooting at group in North Braddock are gang members

NORTH BRADDOCK, Pa, — Two teenagers are facing charges on accusations that they shot at an occupied vehicle on May 4.

Per Allegheny County police, the shots fired incident happened around 1:30 p.m. on the 700 block of 6th Street in North Braddock. At the time, Eastern Regional Mon-Valley Police Department responded and determined that an occupied vehicle was shot at and hit multiple times, but no one was hurt.

ACPD detectives were then requested to investigate. They determined the incident began in Braddock, but the suspect vehicle was stolen from North Huntingdon Township. The vehicle was later located in Pittsburgh.

Police say the suspects, Nasir Williams, 15, and Jmeire Estes, 17, were identified through witness interviews and social media posts.

A decorative letter ‘J’ that was zip-tied to Jeramyah Pollard’s memorial is what helped lead to the arrests of the two teens, who police say are known gang members, according to court documents.

In the criminal complaint, investigators say Williams posted a video on Instagram showing a gun in his hand while sitting next to Estes. At the end of the video, the teen is holding up the ‘J’ police said was taken right before the pair shot at a group of people.

Detectives said several people were fixing Jeramyah’s memorial that was ripped apart on Margaretta Street in Braddock last Sunday afternoon.

Moments later, police said Williams and Estes were wearing ski masks in the back seat of a stolen pickup truck when they drove up to the group and started shooting.

“That’s terrible,” said Tremaine Howard of Braddock. “How can somebody shoot at somebody just for visiting. That’s terrible.”

According to detectives, the group immediately jumped into their car and drove off with the truck chasing them. Police said the teens repeatedly fired at the car all the way up 6th Street, hitting it three times. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

Police said the group in the car was able to outmaneuver the pickup truck and managed to escape.

During their investigation, police connected Williams and Estes to two other shootings in Homewood days earlier on May 2. Detectives say the teens were in a stolen Hyundai when they fired at the buildings on Nolan Court as several people, including children, were walking in the area.

Tremaine Howard lives in Braddock and said the crime has gotten out of control.

“There’s no police station out here. That’s why all these crimes and horrible things are going on right now,” Howard said. “It’s just a hot mess out here.”

She hopes the new merger with the Eastern Regional Mon Valley Police Department will help.

“I’m just sorry for the young man that got killed and everything,” Howard said. “I just hope it gets better.”

Williams and Estes are being charged as adults and face counts of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a minor, recklessly endangering another person and criminal conspiracy.

More than a year after Jeramyah Pollard, 16, was shot and killed on Margaretta Street, police are still searching for his accused killer, Darien Wallace.

Wallace was identified as the suspect just weeks after the murder, but remains at large. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to call the tip line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS. You can remain anonymous.

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