Father of 3 shot, killed while riding bike on North Side remembered as fun, loving guy

PITTSBURGH — Dashawn Rankin, 33, was murdered Sunday morning while riding his bike on Federal Street.

Shawnell Pinkston says she was more like a big sister than a cousin to Rankin.

“Dashawn was a fun-loving guy,” his cousin said. “He’d give his shirt off for anyone.”

The husband and dad of three kids was riding his bike on Sunday morning. It was 7 a.m. and Yinz Coffee Shop had just opened for the morning rush. Police said Rankin had a brief exchange with a man on foot, who they’re calling a suspect before Rankin rode off on his bike. He was then shot in the back.

“He didn’t like confrontation,” Pinkston added. “So I’m sure when he was riding off, that was one of the reasons why.”

Pinkston said the suspect is a coward for shooting her cousin in the back.

“That is a coward,” Pinkston said. “He is a coward. He could have just talked to him. He didn’t have to shoot him at all.”

That coffee shop’s cameras showed nurses jumping out of their cars in scrubs to provide aid to Rankin. Pinkston saw that clip on the news, but at the time, she didn’t know it was her cousin.

“It made me see joy, feel joy in seeing people helping this person and me not knowing that was my cousin,” Pinkston recalled. “When I found out it was, it tore me into pieces, tore me into pieces. I know he rides his bike. I went and called homicide. I just felt it in my heart it was my cousin.”

The family is now preparing to bury Rankin. A man they say loved his family, loved working on cars and would do anything to help anyone.

“Seven o’clock am on a Sunday morning. Senseless. That’s all I can keep saying,” Pinkston added.

Police have not named their suspect. The family of the victim tells us they are confident that the person will be caught soon.

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