2 Charged In Indiana Co. Walking Trail Shooting
CLYMER (KDKA) -- Two men have been charged in a deadly shooting Monday night on a walking trail in Indiana County.
The shooting happened near Sixth and Penn Streets in Clymer.
According to state police, 22-year-old Christopher Salsviger and 33-year-old Gregory Patterson, both of Glen Campbell, have been arrested and charged with the shooting of James Alexander.
Both men are charged with criminal homicide.
Meanwhile, state police say Salsviger should be considered armed and dangerous.
Investigators spent Tuesday following up on leads and talking to people who have information about the murder.
Alexander was a father to three teenagers. He just celebrated his 46th birthday, bought a car and was about to start a new job. Family members say he was turning his life around.
"James was a really happy person," said Denise Clark, Alexander's sister-in-law. "He had his days, he had his things. 'Pork' has been in trouble; he's done his own deed, everybody has, but very go lucky, happy."
Alexander was visiting family at a home on Sage Street around 9 p.m. Monday when he and another man left to meet two others at a nearby walking trail. The men attacked the man who was with Alexander.
As that man scrambled to get away, he saw the two others push Alexander to his knees before shooting him in the head.
"They call him 'Pork;' so they said 'Pork' was shot on the trail, and that's when I left here to go down and that's when I ran up on 'Pooch,' and 'Pooch' was already starting CPR," said Clark.
Family members say one of the men Alexander was meeting was someone he had met in state prison. They believe their loved one may have been robbed during an alleged drug deal.
Investigators are not commenting on a motive.
"At this point, I'm not sure as far as what the particular motive might have been," said Trooper John Matchik, of Pennsylvania State Police. "So we're not at a stage that we'd be able to release any kind of information like that."
Investigators say their case is moving in the right direction. It's good news for Alexander's grieving family.
"I just hope they catch who did it and do what they need to do because if it was a robbery or if it was just out to get him this was just senseless, complete senseless," Clark added.
At least one search warrant was served today in connection with this case. It's not clear where that happened, but investigators reportedly had some interest in some cell phone records.
Watch Ralph Iannotti's report:
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