Local Singer Shot In The Face, Suspect And Motive Unknown

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – A man is hospitalized after he was shot in the face.

"They rode up on the car and just started firing, shooting," said the son of 61-year-old Carlton Leeper.

Leeper drove to Ridge Avenue in Stowe Township Saturday night to pick up his son at his girlfriend's house.

As they were leaving, his son says someone drove around the corner and started shooting. One of the bullets hit Leeper in the side of his face.

"I ducked down and tried to turn the car on and leave and I was like, 'dad, we got to get out of here,'" said Leeper's son, who does not want to be identified. "And I looked down, he was shot and I opened the door and he fell out the car."

Leeper's son says he believes the shooting was random and he was not the intended target.

A number of witnesses were outside when it happened. They told police the shooter was riding in a silver PT Cruiser.

"They shot at an innocent man, a good man at that," said Leeper's son. "That doesn't bother anybody? Thank God he's still alive. They could have killed both of us in the car."

Leeper remains in stable condition at Allegheny General Hospital. He underwent surgery to stop the bleeding. He'll need more surgery because the bullet went through his jaw and remains lodged in his face.

"They have to remove the bullet from his cheek," said Leeper's son. "But they said for the most part he'll pull through."

Meanwhile, Carlton Leeper is a singer who often performs at local clubs and hotels in the downtown area. His son is hopeful his dad will one day sing again.

"They said for now, it didn't damage his vocal chords," said his son. "So that was a good thing."

"I think it's just a cowardly, heinous crime that people just run around with guns, just shooting for no reason," he added.

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