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DA To Seek Death Penalty In Wilkinsburg Mass Shooting

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. announced Friday that he would be seeking the death penalty in the Wilkinsburg mass shooting case.

Cheron Shelton and Robert Thomas are accused of killing five people and an unborn child during a backyard barbecue on March 9, 2016, in Wilkinsburg.

Killed in the shooting were 25-year-old Chanetta Powell, who was eight months pregnant, 35-year-old Jerry Shelton, 37-year-old Tina Shelton, 29-year-old Brittany Powell and 26-year-old Shada Mahone.

Lamont Powell was the intended target in the Wilkinsburg mass shooting case, but he survived.

"Lamont Powell was somebody they had been looking for – these two particular persons had been looking for – more Shelton than Thomas, but they'd been looking for him since 2013. Nobody else was involved in this, these two guys planned this, they carried it out, they had a reason to do it," District Attorney Stephen Zappala said. "We put the weapon…in Shelton's hands."

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