19-year-old arrested in Hill District shooting had been arrested before

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Police say they're making arrests in violent crimes but claim suspects are getting out of jail just as fast as they go in. 

Two weeks ago, after shots rang out in the Hill District in the early morning hours, a young man stumbled into the ER at UPMC Mercy Hospital with gunshot wounds.  

"That individual is still in critical condition and if he survives will likely be paralyzed for the rest of his life," said Pittsburgh Police Commander Richard Ford.

The shooter fled, but days later, police arrested 19-year-old Damon Peters -- someone they arrested before. Just last year, he was arrested for shooting up this store in Wharton Square on the South Side. But freed on bail, Peters never appeared again in court.

"He shouldn't have been out," Ford said.

Under new Chief Larry Scirotto, Pittsburgh police say they've launched a violent reduction strategy to target individuals like Peters, violent criminals likely to reoffend but say when they make an arrest, they need to make it stick.

"This is a prime example and prime case of what we're talking about. When you want gun reduction, these types of people need to be taken off the streets and they need to be kept off the streets," Ford said.

Instead, police say Peters was involved in other crimes after he was freed on bond. In April, Swissvale police issued a warrant after Peters resisted arrest and eluded their capture. And in May, Peters broke the hand of a Baldwin officer who tried to arrest him. He escaped and police say he then shot the young man in the Hill District earlier this month.

"As a result of him going back out, we had an officer who was injured and we have a person who is in critical condition as a result of that," Ford said.

Ford says the police need more help from judges and district justices to keep violent people in jail.

"Nominal bond or released of your own recognizance isn't an option when you're talking about violent perpetrators. These people have shown that they'll do the same thing and go right out again," Ford said. 

By arresting violent criminals and taking them off the street, police say they're holding up their end. They want the rest of the criminal justice system to hold up theirs.