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Lawsuit alleges man was ‘framed’ in Wilkinsburg mass shooting before charges dismissed

PITTSBURGH — A man who was a suspect in the 2016 Wilkinsburg mass shooting before charges were dismissed has filed a civil rights lawsuit.

>>PREVIOUS STORY: All charges dismissed against 1 of 2 suspects in Wilkinsburg mass shooting

Robert Thomas, 31, had been charged alongside Cheron Shelton for the ambush shooting that killed five people and an unborn baby during a backyard barbecue. A man who was shot but initially survived the shooting died in 2020 after suffering complications from his injuries.

The lawsuit filed on behalf of Thomas is against Allegheny County and Pittsburgh law enforcement, claiming they “framed” Thomas.

Among the allegations made against law enforcement in the lawsuit is that they “covered up the confession to the murder of 15-month-old Marcus White, Jr. (Baby Marcus) in order to induce yet another prolific informant into fabricating yet another ‘confession’ from Mr. Thomas,” a news release stated.

Charges that had been filed against Thomas in the Wilkinsburg mass shooting were dismissed over the questionable credibility of a witness, who allegedly confessed to killing Baby Marcus in 2013 but charges were never filed.

>>PREVIOUS STORY: Witness in Wilkinsburg mass shooting allegedly confesses to baby’s death in another case

The attorney representing Thomas said a second complaint will be filed in the coming weeks for Shelton, who stood trial but was found not guilty.

>>PREVIOUS STORY: Not guilty verdict rendered in Wilkinsburg shooting; victim says whoever did it will have ‘to answer to God’

Years after the Wilkinsburg shooting, Shelton was sentenced in federal court to spend eight years in prison on gun charges in an unrelated case.