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McKeesport High School Senior Dies From Shooting Less Than A Week Before Graduation

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The family of a teenage girl who was set to graduate from high school in less than a week will now have to arrange her funeral.

Morgan Dunston, 18, was supposed to graduate from McKeesport High School next Thursday. But early Friday morning around 3 a.m., Pittsburgh Police said she was shot in the parking lot of the Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community building located at the corner of Jane and S. 27th Street in the South Side Flats.

morgan-dunston
(Source: STK, Embrace Life)

Sources tell KDKA that there had been a party or gathering in the parking lot when shots rang out and Dunston was struck.

Dunston's friends reportedly brought her to the hospital, where she later died from her injuries.

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Those who spoke to KDKA remembered Dunston as a kind and outgoing young woman who had a bright future ahead of her.

Stop the Killing Embrace Life, a community action group dedicated to violence prevention, wrote on Facebook that Dunston has a twin sister. The two reportedly celebrated their 18th birthdays on May 18. According to the group, Dunston was planning to start at Empire Beauty School following graduation.

The McKeesport Area School District told KDKA in a statement that it was "deeply saddened by the news of the senseless violence that took place."

The district described Dunston as an active student involved in many organizations. Its full statement is as follows:

Our District is deeply saddened by the news of the senseless violence that took place in Pittsburgh, overnight. We have been notified that one of the victims is a student from our high school. This young lady was an active student within our high school who was slated to graduate next week. She was a part of many organizations including a four-year Cosmetology technology student. Grief counseling will be made available at the McKeesport Area High School throughout the end of the school year. In addition, community resources will be made available for all high school families.

Jeff Eddings, the pastor at Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community, said he believes five or six shots hit the building. The bullets shattered glass, which was visible on the ground nearby.

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(Photo Credit: KDKA)

"You can see the glass and a few went through the walls," the pastor said. He said nothing was significantly damaged inside and that he doesn't believe the church was targeted.

"The building is going to be fine, the concern is more like with those involved and the victim that was shot," Eddings said.

At this time, police have not provided a motive and no suspects are in custody.

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