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One Arrested After Fatal Shooting In Lincoln Place

LINCOLN PLACE (KDKA) -- A man has been arrested for a fatal shooting that happened at a Lincoln Place home Saturday afternoon.

After talking with the district attorney's office, Pittsburgh Police arrested Jakeub Nace, 21, on one charge of criminal homicide for the accidental shooting death of his friend John William Roberts, 21.

In the 45 years that Barbara Krausslach has lived on Lougean Street in Lincoln Place, she says what happened Saturday evening was a first for her.

"All that time nothing like this has ever happened here, but there's a first time for everything," Krausslach said.

Police say Roberts was accidentally shot in the chest by Nace in the basement of a house on Lougean Street around 5:15 Saturday night.

According to a criminal complaint, Nace told police it was not unusual for guns to be laying around in the basement of the home, but they were not usually loaded. Nace said he picked up an assault rifle that was on the floor and pointed it at Roberts, imitating a video game he and his friends play. Believing the gun was not loaded, Nace pulled the trigger.

jakeub-nace
(Photo Credit: Allegheny County Police)

The criminal complaint says the gun fired, and Nace immediately dropped the gun, ran upstairs and told a friend to call 911. Nace then dragged Roberts outside to the driveway, so he would be closer to the street when the ambulance came, and began administering CPR.

Police found Roberts on his back in the driveway when they got to the home. Roberts was later taken to UPMC Presbyterian where he was pronounced dead.

"I saw a bunch of people down there on the sidewalk, and when the ambulance got down there, I see them hurry up quickly and pick somebody up, but I didn't see them put him in the ambulance," Krausslach said.

A neighbor that lives across the street from the home said she called 911 when she saw Nace dragging Roberts out through the garage. She said he was giving Roberts CPR and yelling "wake up." She says she saw Nace later taken away in handcuffs.

Nace and Roberts weren't the only ones in the house. Neighbors say there were a few other people inside plus a baby, but the homeowners weren't there at the time.

"I think it's a tragedy," Krausslach said. "Where did the person get the gun in the first place and why was he playing with it? Why wasn't the safety on it?"

Police say Nace and Roberts don't live at the home where the shooting happened.

They were there visiting a friend.

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