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Woman Charged In Cousin's Shooting Death In Upper St. Clair

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – A woman is facing charges in the shooting death of her cousin at a home in Upper St. Clair early Saturday morning.

It happened around 4 a.m. Saturday outside of a house on Myrna Drive.

Witnesses tell police Joshua Poremski was showing his 9mm semi-automatic pistol to his cousin. They say he claimed it wasn't loaded and he urged her to fire it.

"It can only be described as a terrible, terrible tragedy," said attorney David Shrager. "My client was with her cousin, hanging out after a family party. They were around a fire, and they were playing with a firearm and the allegations are the firearm discharged and her cousin was killed."

Poremski was shot in the head and neck. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

His cousin, 28-year-old Stephanie Munizza, is charged with homicide, accused of firing the fatal shot.

Her attorney insists it was an accident.

"Even the parents of the descendant are insisting that this was an accident and don't want her in jail," said Shrager.

Police say the shooting happened after both cousins were heavily drinking.

"The whole family is devastated because their son is dead and the beloved niece… that's their niece, and they want her out," Shrager said.

She is currently in the Allegheny County Jail.

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