PITTSBURGH – Six people were injured Friday afternoon outside a church where a funeral was being held for a man killed in a shooting two weeks ago, authorities said.
Police were informed at 12.04 pm About five shots were fired outside the Destiny of Faith Church on Brighton Road in the city’s north end. Immediately, police were alerted to 15 additional shootings, Pittsburgh Police Chief Richard Ford told a news conference.
Four of the victims were taken to a local hospital and are in stable condition.
One person was taken by ambulance in critical condition, Ford said. A sixth victim initially left the scene but was later hospitalized in stable condition.
Ford declined to give their names or ages.
The Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety said late Friday that two “persons of interest” had been detained. On Saturday, police identified them as Shawn Davis, 19, and a 16-year-old boy. NBC News is not naming him because he is a 16-year-old boy.
Both suspects are being held in the Allegheny County Jail on multiple charges including criminal attempted murder, criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault and firearms charges.
A spokeswoman for Destiny of Faith confirmed the shooting outside while the funeral was taking place, but did not share other details.
Police said the service was for John James Harness Jr., who was killed in another shooting. He was one of three people shot and killed Oct. 15 on Cedar Avenue, an NBC affiliate. WPXI reported. In that shooting, 33-year-old Jacqueline C. Mehalik and 59-year-old Betty J. Averitt was also killed.
A motive in Friday’s shooting was unclear, though Ford told reporters that “it appears there was an altercation going on.”
He said there was “most likely” more than one shooter.
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