23-year-old man shot, killed during argument at Clairton picnic
A 23-year-old man was shot and killed Sunday night during an argument at a picnic in Clairton.
Allegheny County Police say the shooting happened along Division Avenue in Clairton just after 9:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Officers arriving at the scene found a man shot to death at the scene, police said.
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office has identified the victim as 23-year-old Brendan Parsons, a former standout athlete at Clairton High School.
"I just cried. I lost it," said Aaron Matesic.
Matesic remembers hearing the sirens and seeing the parade of emergency vehicles flood his neighborhood Sunday night.
Never, he says, did he think they were there for someone he knew.
"It's crazy because I knew the dude, I went to school with him, I played basketball with him. He was 23 years old and lost his life. I lost a good friend."
It seems everyone in this close-knit community knew Parsons or knew of his athletic ability. No matter how their paths crossed, though, the community is mourning the death of one of their own.
"I loved the dude. Seriously," Parsons said.
Police say a man was detained at the scene, and there's no threat to the public. It's unclear what charges the man who was detained may be facing.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the County Police Tip Line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS.
