Man Arrested In Connection With Large Fight, Shooting Outside UPMC Children's Hospital
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A man was arrested in connection with a large fight and shooting outside UPMC Children's Hospital Thursday night.
Police say 22-year-old Gerald Porter is behind bars at the Allegheny County Jail on four counts of aggravated assault and two counts of recklessly endangering another person.
Thursday was a violent night in the midst of a violent year. There were six different shootings incidents, and at least seven victims, including a 6-year-old girl who was taken to UPMC Children's Hospital where another gun battle ensued.
Police sources tell KDKA's Andy Sheehan the wounding of the little girl and the later gunplay outside at Children's were the result of a violent chain of events initiated by the child's estranged father.
In this epidemic of gun violence, no one is safe — not even a 6-year-old girl, shot in the abdomen in Homewood and thankfully now in stable condition at Children's Hospital, where another gun battle took place a few hours after her arrival.
Police sources say it was a violent chain of events. The young girl was riding in a car on Lawndale Street in Homewood with her mother and the mother's boyfriend when they were followed by the woman's ex-boyfriend, the child's father.
Sources say the woman had a protection from abuse order against the man but he continued to stalk her. Two cars stopped and gunfire commenced, the little girl shot in the melee. The car sped onto the 7100 block of Frankstown Avenue, where EMS arrived and took her to Children's.
Police sources say it was at the hospital that relatives and members of the extended family gathered but emotions ran high and arguments ensued. Gunfire broke out again.
Sources say one man was shot five times and taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital where he is in stable condition. Another man shot in the leg left the scene but later drove himself to Presby, telling police he didn't realize he was hit.
Police don't know who fired the shot that wounded the 6-year-old girl, but they're now searching for her father.
