17-Year-Old Antwon Rose, Fatally Shot By East Pittsburgh Police, Remembered As 'Friendly, Welcoming, An Excellent Student'
Follow KDKA-TV: Facebook | Twitter
EAST PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The 17-year-old male who was shot and killed by police in East Pittsburgh on Tuesday night is the latest in a string of students from Woodland Hills to be shot.
On the day after the shooting, the school district's superintendent sang the praises of Antwon Rose II.
"He was a really excellent student," said Superintendent Alan Johnson. "He was involved in advance placement classes, he was a gifted student, he certainly had everything to look forward to, he was very well-liked by teachers. I know a number of teachers at the high school are pretty badly shaken up, the principal knew him well."
RELATED STORIES:
- Investigation Begins After 17-Year-Old Antwon Rose Fatally Shot By East Pittsburgh Cop While Running Away From Traffic Stop
- Sources: East Pittsburgh Officer Accused Of Killing Antwon Rose Sworn In Hours Before Fatal Shooting
- 17-Year-Old Antwon Rose, Fatally Shot By East Pittsburgh Police, Remembered As 'Friendly, Welcoming, An Excellent Student'
- Protestors March, Rally Outside East Pittsburgh Police Station In Response To Antwon Rose's Death
- Officials: Teen Killed In Police-Involved Shooting In East Pittsburgh
- More On The Shooting
Tragically, Rose's life came to an end during a traffic stop on an East Pittsburgh street as he ran from a car in which he had been a passenger.
Video of the incident, taken by a neighbor, was posted on Facebook right after Rose was shot by an East Pittsburgh Police officer. Rose was taken to a nearby hospital trauma center, where he died.
The attorney representing Rose's family, S. Lee Merritt, announced funeral arrangements for the teen on Wednesday night.
Rose's viewing will be held Sunday, June 24, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Tunnie Funeral Home in Homestead. His funeral will be held on Monday, June 25, at 11 a.m.
The statement went on to say that the family is asking for privacy.
"On behalf of the family, we thank the community for the generous outpouring of concern and support. The family is asking, however, that they be given space and time to mourn and make arrangements before being bombarded with inquiries for statements."
Meanwhile, those who knew Rose had nothing but positive things to say about him.
At 14, he began volunteering at the Free Store in Braddock, a facility founded by Mayor John Fetterman's wife, Gisele, to help the community.
"Everyone loved him, he was just such a friendly, welcoming face," Gisele said. "He reached out in 2015 and was with us every week, spent almost the whole summer with us, and when school started, he would pop in on Saturdays here and there, and he just recently told another of my young volunteers that he was planning to return this summer."
She posted to her Facebook page, "His life was just starting. He was part of a wonderful family, and he was SO LOVED by so many, and he didn't deserve this."
Shanena Lewis, whose own 15-year-old son was killed early Saturday morning in Duquesne, says she's devastated by all the violence.
"I just want to hug the child's mother, that's it," she said.
A rally was being held in Rose's memory and to protest East Pittsburgh Police on Wednesday evening.
