17-year-old arrested in deadly shooting of 15-year-old boy in Pittsburgh area
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A 17-year-old has been charged in connection with a shooting in McKees Rocks that killed a 15-year-old boy.
The victim, Ashan Edwards, who had the nickname "Peanut," was shot and killed on April 20 in McKees Rocks. Investigators said Edwards was shot near Third Street Park. He was taken to a local hospital, where he died.
WATCH: KDKA-TV's Ricky Sayer reports
"Teenagers were hanging out at the park, and somebody from outside the park shot at them. We do not know if they were in a vehicle or not," Allegheny County Police Lt. Nando Costa said on April 20.
On Saturday, KDKA-TV's Ricky Sayer spoke to two men who had grown close to Edwards over the past year: McKees Rocks mentors Rae Zellous and Edward Pierce.
"When I heard it was Peanut, it devastated me," Zellous said.
"It was horrible; I felt like I was robbed. The words that haunt me from the mother is she had triplets, not twins. One of her babies is gone, can't bring him back, nothing we can do to fix that," Pierce said.
In a post on social media on Friday, the Allegheny County Police Department said 17-year-old Delvon Johnson of McKees Rocks was arrested in Orlando, Florida, by the U.S. Marshals and Orlando Police Department.
"I was happy. I was happy for Peanut's family, you know, I felt better for the streets, but also sad in a way," Pierce said.
Sad, he says, because instead of just losing one child, they feel they've lost two.
"It was even sadder to know a 15-year-old lost life and a 17-year-old took a life," Zellous added.
"Their lives weren't even beginning," Pierce said.
Zellous wishes he did more, explaining there were rumbles before the shooting that something would happen.
"I'm an outreach worker, so I should have been able to reach out and have a prevention that would have saved his life."
Another shooting in McKees Rocks took place Friday night, where two men were found shot in an apartment.
"I'm still puzzled on how to make this stop," Zellous said.
He says more prevention is important, especially with summer coming.
"It's gonna get even worse if, as leaders, we don't stand up, come together, and put our protective arm around the children."
Pierce also had a message for any troubled youth.
"Man, hold on to those babies, teach them right, talk to them. There's a lot for these young men in the community to come to and find help. We are here
Pierce says he loved Peanut, he loves McKees Rocks, and he'll keep fighting for it.
Allegheny County police said investigators determined Johnson was responsible for the shooting after reviewing multiple interviews and interviewing witnesses.
Johnson is facing multiple charges, including criminal homicide, aggravated assault and illegal possession of a firearm. He will be extradited to Allegheny County to face charges, police said.
Edwards was a student in the Sto-Rox School District. The community held a balloon release for him on Thursday night.
"He was full of energy, funny, talkative," Superintendent Megan Van Fossan said on Thursday.
