Allegheny County

Pittsburgh police chief confirms AR-15 style weapon used in Airbnb mass shooting

PITTSBURGH — Target 11 Investigator Rick Earle sat down with Pittsburgh’s Police Chief today for a one on one interview regarding the mass shooting investigation.

Earle asked the chief if a long gun was used during the shooting. The chief confirmed that shells associated with a long gun or AR-15 Style rifle were found at the scene. This type of rifle typically holds 30 rounds, but with modifications, can hold up to 100.

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Schubert said hand guns were also used during the shootout, but he remained tight lipped about the investigation.

Earle asked Schubert if detectives still believe that some type of altercation caused the shooting.

“I can’t go into that. All I can say is there was an altercation that led to gunfire,” said Schubert.

Schubert told Earle that multiple witness from the crowd, estimated around 200 people, have come forward and are cooperating.

He said detectives have been interviewing numerous people and combing through social media.

“I know our detectives are working, you know diligently following up leads, looking at video, talking to people, and just doing everything they can to piece the whole incident together,” said Schubert.

City of Pittsburgh police detectives are receiving federal help from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, or ATF. In fact, last summer, Chief Schubert said his department partnered with the ATF to track and trace the origin of every gun found on a juvenile. Some, he said, were purchased by others, but many he said were stolen from cars or homes.

“We’ve got people leaving guns in cars and they are being stolen. We’ve got people who are in homes aren’t securing them and you got people trading firearms for drugs and other things. You have straw purchasers where they’re getting other people to purchase it for them. So that’s helping find the people that are doing this and holding them and bringing them accountable,” said Schubert.

The chief also responded to a surveillance image obtained by Channel 11 that showed a Pittsburgh police vehicle at the Airbnb 90 minutes before the shooting, responding to a complaint about loud noises. Schubert confirmed the officers were there, and he said one officer spoke to a man who identified himself as the owner. Schubert said the officer told him to turn down the noise, and said if he had to return, he would shut down the gathering. Schubert said that is standard operating procedure when responding to those complaints.

“Your officer was there 90 minutes before for a noise complaint. Should he have done more? " asked Earle.

“No, based on what we’ve seen so far and what I’ve learned we get these calls throughout the city every week, where somebody calls in a complaint of loud music or something.”

“There’s nothing else to indicate something was going on, and they got back into service,” said Schubert.

“What the officer did was standard operating procedure?” asked Earle.

“Yea, I mean I’ve done it myself. ????I mean, you’re, the complaint is and a lot of times you get, you know, not a complainant to talk to you, you just get the complaint. ??? And the ultimate goal is to get them to turn the music down,” said Schubert.