NEW CASTLE (KDKA) — An 18-year-old man is in police custody for a deadly road rage incident in New Castle earlier this week.

Officials charged Markus Solomon this afternoon for the shooting death of Gordon Rees, Jr., 31.

The shooting happened shortly before 10:30 p.m. Tuesday on Williams Street after Rees yelled at a driver to slow down. A witness told KDKA-TV that the driver got out of his car, argued with Rees and then shot him.

“Guy stops the car, gets out, they exchange a couple more words concerning his driving, guy pulls out a handgun and shoots Rees in the chest,” New Castle Police Chief Tom Sansone said.

Rees suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at Jameson Hospital.

New Castle police took Solomon into custody on unrelated charges after a traffic stop yesterday.

Detectives say Solomon admitted to shooting Rees once in the chest after he claimed he was concerned about his own safety.

During the interview, Solomon told detectives that he shot the victim after Rees kicked his car and made a gesture with his arm. He went on to tell investigators that he thought he saw something shiny in Rees’ hand, so he shot Rees, then drove away and “smoked some weed.”

According to the criminal complaint, Solomon said “it all happened very quickly… I don’t think I should have did it, but my life was in jeopardy. It could have been avoided.”

Solomon is being held in the Lawrence County Jail.

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