Pitt police locate suspect who shot pellet gun at people in Oakland; charges pending

PITTSBURGH — University of Pittsburgh police sent an alert to students, warning of a person who they say was firing a pellet gun at people Wednesday night. One man believes the same group of people drove downtown and fired pellets at him.

“It looked like some kids found their dad’s pellet gun and said let’s go out and have some fun,” said Christopher Phillips.

Phillips left work around 10 p.m. and was walking down Wood Street to catch a bus home when he said something hit him.

“I started hearing like pop, pop, pop off of the side of McCormick and Schmick’s, and I’m like what the heck,” said Phillips. “What was that?”

He kept walking to his bus stop, which is right across from where the new police substation is moving. He says he sat down to wait for his bus when he saw the same white vehicle turn around the corner.

“I felt something like pop, pop, pop on my chest, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God,’” said Phillips. “They were shooting pellets at me. They were dressed like Harley Quinn or something. They had a lot of makeup on and weird pigtails. It was like an evil little look.”

People in Oakland also reported someone shooting a pellet gun out of a white sport utility, possibly a Mitsubishi Outlander. It happened between 9:30 and 11 p.m. near the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Atwood Street and Forbes Avenue. Pitt Police issued a crime alert.

“I also just got the crime alert email, but I don’t know it’s kind of crazy because it’s just a college town,” said Carina Rose. “I don’t know what people are doing.”

No serious injuries were reported, but Christopher Phillips wants whoever did this to be charged.

“It could have been worse in a lot of different ways,” said Phillips. “I only have one eye so if one of those pellets got through my glasses or hit my glasses I could have been blinded.”

Police have identified a suspect. Charges are pending.

Anyone with information should call Pitt police at 412-624-2121.

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