DA's Office, Pitt & UPMC Team Up To Install 60 New Security Cameras In Oakland
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - More protection has been added for students as they return to campus in Oakland. The Allegheny County District Attorney's Office is teaming up with UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh to add 60 security cameras throughout the city neighborhood.
The expansion was spawned in large part by the murder of Pitt student Alina Sheykhet.
It was surveillance video from a nearby pizza shop that led detectives to discover what they say was used to kill Sheykhet.
According to police, the video from Oct. 8, 2017, shows Sheykhet's ex-boyfriend, Matthew Darby, dropping something into a sewer grate and dumpster near Sheykhet's home on Cable Place in Oakland.
If it were not for the video, officers may never have found a claw hammer and two stainless steel knives that will now be evidence used in Darby's prosecution.
"We had a tragedy last year involving a Pitt co-ed," said District Attorney Stephen Zappala at a press conference announcing the new cameras.
Her tragic death is largely what spawned the DA's Office to team up with UPMC and Pitt to install more security cameras in the Oakland area.
"When I talked to Ellie Sheykhet, Alina's mother, the other day about this initiative and these measures and this press conference, she was quite emotional. Basically, said, 'Wow, Alina is making a difference," said Robert Del Greco, the attorney representing the Sheykhet family.
A total of 54 overview cameras and six that do license plate recognition, bring the total county-wide to 450 cameras in 80 locations. The goal is more security to better protect people and deter crime.
"We're doing this today publicly because I want this to be a deterrent to somebody getting hurt. I don't want to react to any more tragedy if we don't have to," said Zappala.
The total cost of the project is $95,000. UPMC contributed $65,000 and Pitt and the DA's Office both contributed $15,000.
"It's a minimal investment when you're talking about protecting our kids," said Zappala.
The DA's Office is pursuing the death penalty in Darby's pending homicide case. It is scheduled for a jury trial in early January.
KDKA's Julie Grant Reports:
In addition to the Sheykhet family, the mother of Dakota James was also in attendance at Tuesday's announcement. Dakota was the Duquesne University graduate student who went missing and it was later discovered that he drowned.
"When my son went missing in January of 2017, my family and I felt alone in the wake of our 40 day tragedy and we were left to forge on our own. With the knowledge of hindsight we have vowed to share what we have learned and help make things better. So we started a non profit organization in honor of my son. Part of our foundation's mission is to make improvements in public safety by placing surveillance cameras in high-risk areas. We believe these cameras will reduce all forms of incidents as well as reduce the number of missing persons," Pam James said.
