Victims Of Wilkinsburg Mass Shooting Remembered At Vigil
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The victims of a mass shooting in Wilkinsburg were remembered Tuesday evening at a candlelight vigil.
Five adults and one unborn child were killed when two men opened fire on a backyard barbecue last month.
The candlelight vigil to remember the Shelton-Powell family was held at the same Franklin Street home where the shooting took place. The Lighthouse Cathedral Church helped to organize the event.
"People were coming by and talking about it and giving hugs and crying about what happened," said Pastor Maurice Trent, of Lighthouse Cathedral Church. "It has hit the City of Pittsburgh pretty hard. Not only the City of Pittsburgh, but as far as Tennessee I've had people talk about it, Texas. So, you know, it's gone around the United States for sure."
Two of the big focuses of the vigil were helping the victims' children, and the search for justice.
The grief and heartache of the shooting is perhaps greatest for Jessica Shelton, who lost three children, two nieces and an unborn grandchild in the shooting. Now, she and other relatives are raising 11 children who lost mothers and fathers.
"I'm looking forward to the future of all these kids," said Shelton. "They're future lawyers, doctors. They can be anything they want to be with the help of the community."
The shooting happened back on March 9 when police say one suspect, armed with the handgun, approached the backyard barbecue from one direction and started shooting.
Then, as the approximately 15 people at the party tried to run inside the home, a second gunman walked up to the crime scene from a small alley on the other side of the house. That suspect began shooting with an AK-47-style rifle. A total of 49 shell casings were recovered.
The victims were identified as:
- Jerry Shelton, 35
- Tina Shelton, 37
- Brittany Powell, 27
- Chanetta Powell, 25
- Shada Mahone, 26
Chanetta was eight months pregnant when she was murdered.
As a final gesture of remembrance at the vigil, the crowd released dozens of white balloons. Jessica Shelton called them a symbol of hope.
"All our sorrows, all our heartfelt answers that we need to go up to Heaven so that this will be solved. We need resolution right now today," she said.
While no one has been arrested, police have questioned someone who is considered to be a suspect in the case.
Last week, Robert Thomas, 27, was in court for a bond hearing on unrelated charges.
A detective testified that Thomas has been informed that he's a suspect in the Wilkinsburg shootings, and was a flight risk. The judge revoked Thomas' bond, and said he was a danger to the community.
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