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Suspected Murder-Suicide Leaves Two Dead In Homestead

HOMESTEAD (KDKA) -- Two teenagers are dead after an apparent murder-suicide in Homestead.

It happened in the alley behind a home at 201 East 15th Avenue around 8:45 p.m. Sunday.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office says 15-year-old Taevon Harris died from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at 9:18 p.m.

Police say Harris lived at a home at 203 East 15th Avenue.

The suspected shooter in the case died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was identified as 19-year-old Ryzel Barrett. An autopsy is planned on him later today.

Police say a third person was also shot. The man was shot multiple times and rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

"The 19-year-old shot the 15-year-old in the back yard then went into the house and shot the adult and then shot himself," Allegheny County Police Lt. Andrew Schurman said.

Police say the 42-year-old man who was shot is Harris' stepfather. No explanation was given as to why Barrett shot him before taking his own life.

"This is not a street crime, it's more of a family squabble," said Homestead Police Chief Jeffrey DeSimone. "There are some relations, some relationships involved, some friendships involved, it's a little difficult."

Chief DeSimone said this was a domestic-type of situation and Allegheny County homicide detectives are finishing the investigation.

Harris' mother said Barrett and her son were in the back yard when all of a sudden shots rang out. She cannot understand why Barrett shot her son because they were friends.

Neighbors say the family that lived in the home relocated to Homestead from North Carolina a year ago.

"I came outside to say goodbye to my son, and there was cops, medics everywhere and people screaming and scattering everywhere," said neighbor Christina Seaman.

"I heard a lady screaming, 'Is my husband dead, is my husband dead?' And that's when they started putting tape around the house, the car, and around the other side of the house," she said. "A couple minutes later, the lady came out and screamed, 'My son got shot, my son got shot, he's in the back yard.'"

Police have not released the motive for the shooting at this point.

This is a developing story, stay with KDKA and KDKA.com for more information. 

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