Police announced today they've made two arrests in a shooting last month that left 3 people dead, including innocent bystanders.
They say they're dealing with violence among small groups of people, but stopped short of saying there's a gang problem in the city.
When writing the criminal complaint for the incident, detective David O’Neil wrote that the shootings did stem from gang activity.
But at the briefing on Wednesday, O’Neil says the gang activity description was a mischaracterization, adding Pittsburgh does not have a gang problem in the traditional sense, “It’s just very, very loose affiliations and it’s really based through social media.”
Families of all three victims watched as police announced the arrest of 21-year-old Jaylone Hines and 19-year-old Charron Troutman, who have both been charged with criminal homicide.
Betty Averytt was one of two innocent bystanders killed, when police say at least five people exchanged gunfire on October 15th.
Her daughter held a picture of her as she spoke “I’m heartbroken, my soul is empty and I’m very grateful that me and my family can stand here today. I want my mother to live on forever through me and my family.”
Mayor Ed Gainey added that some of the issues are stemming from rap videos posted online that cause conflict, sometimes leading to violent confrontations in person.
Police say the investigation is ongoing, including looking for any others involved.