Shooting in Aliquippa leaves 4 people injured; investigators hoping witnesses come forward
Four people are recovering after another shooting in Aliquippa early Sunday morning.
Police are still searching for whoever opened fire, injuring four people in the 200 block of Linmar Terrace just after midnight on Sunday.
Police say the violence is becoming far too common, pointing to one major obstacle that continues to stand in the way of justice: witnesses who refuse to come forward.
Investigators say that silence is making it more difficult to solve these crimes.
"These are truly innocent victims. Three of them, the victims at least, three of the gunshot victims," said Beaver County District Attorney Nate Bible, adding that this was not a random act of violence.
He says the gunman was targeting one specific person and says that the victim was not supposed to be at the home where the shooting happened.
According to Bible, the intended target was involved in some type of illegal activity with the gunman earlier in the night.
Whether it was a drug deal or something else remains under investigation.
The DA says the victim then ran to this home on Linmar Terrace, where people were gathered for a Fourth of July party, likely thinking he'd be safe.
"As this person ran into the house, he said something to the effect of, 'They're going to shoot me,' or 'You have to hide me,' or something. Then, the shooter shot through the screen door, hit his target, and three innocent occupants."
Bible says shootings like this are becoming far too common, and witnesses often know more than they're willing to share, making it harder to identify suspects and bring them to justice.
"With the lack of cooperation from witnesses in the community, it makes these bad guys think, 'I don't care who's around; no one's going to say anything.' [Witnesses] could be afraid or just a distrust for police and the legal system in general in these high crime areas," Bible explained.
In response to the recent uptick in violence, Aliquippa police have increased patrols in high-crime areas across the city to deter crime and reassure residents.
They say solving violent crimes takes more than patrols and arrests.
"We need the community's help. There's only so much we can do. We don't have a magic wand that we can wave to solve crimes. There's a lot of things we can do, but at the end of the day, there are a lot of issues we rely on the community for," Sergeant David Mosura said.
No arrests have been made.
Aliquippa police have since requested the help of state police and are asking anyone with information to call the Beaver barracks at 724-773-7400.
