"Good Samaritan" shot at least 7 times in Pittsburgh recovering in hospital
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A "good Samaritan" is in critical but stable condition after being shot at least seven times while trying to help another man in Pittsburgh.
According to the criminal complaint, 47-year-old Angus Sanders Jr. shot a 73-year-old man, who has not been identified, on Wednesday in Pittsburgh's Brighton Heights neighborhood.
Multiple witnesses told police that Sanders had fallen and the victim was trying to help him when he was shot.
"Fell back into that last grass you see over there and came bounding out and started shooting the poor guy up," neighbor Bill Bosiacki said on Thursday.
Bosiacki saw it all from his front porch on Wednesday. While he didn't know the victim, he said Sanders is known in the neighborhood and had never shown signs of being violent. Several neighbors have helped him in the past as he struggled with being homeless.
According to Pittsburgh police, they have had calls for Sanders sleeping in bushes or disorderly conduct in the past. His criminal records show he was not to have a gun. Court records show he was found guilty of simple assault and terroristic threats in 2011.
Older records date back to 1995, when he was found guilty of aggravated assault. In Wednesday's shooting, police found more than 20 pill bottles, numerous loose pills and an empty extended gun magazine in Sanders' procession.
"I have seen him around the neighborhood before and considered him pretty harmless, as many of the neighbors have," Bosiacki said.
Police said the victim is still recovering at a local hospital. He was being treated for at least seven gunshot wounds to his side, wrist, feet, leg and behind.
Sanders was denied bail and is currently in the Allegheny County Jail. He has a preliminary hearing on Aug. 19.