‘It could have been avoided’ Family of man killed during shootout with man on bond speaks out

PITTSBURGH — Earlier this month Channel 11 investigated two shootings that happened in the same neighborhood, the city’s Hill District, only one month apart.

On Friday we learned that the shooter in both of those violent incidents was the same man, Dean Marbury, arrested and then released. Now the family of the man he allegedly killed is saying he should have never gotten out of jail.

“If he was in custody Jawan would still be alive,” said Chief Ikhana, Jawan Palmer’s god-brother.

On September 11, 37-year-old Jawan Palmer was allegedly killed in the city’s Hill District by 43-year-old Dean Marbury. Marbury was out of jail on bond after police said he initiated a shootout just one month earlier.

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“We shouldn’t be here this could have been avoided,” she said.

According to court documents Marbury had been involved in a shootout at Jay’s Lounge on Webster Avenue in August. The complaint said he argued with guards who attempted to escort him out, he then began to fidget with his waistband and that’s when one of the guards fired. Marbury shot back hitting bystanders and the two guards.

On Friday we learned that Jawan Palmer was one of the guards.

“He was a father, a stepfather and a father of two beautiful girls. He was a religious man a man who stood for his community, he was so well-loved in his community,” Ikhana said.

Palmer’s family believes that when Marbury was released from jail, he immediately sought retaliation.

“To know that someone who shouldn’t have been allowed to be out on bail, bail reduced with horrific charges, to begin with, no one came out of this situation a winner,” Ikhana said.

While the September 11 murder was still under investigation --both men were killed that night.

“There’s something not working properly in the court system, and it needs to be repaired immediately,” Ikhana said.

We reached out to the President of Judges but did not receive a comment.

At this time the investigation is still ongoing.

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