Neighbors Mourning Fineview Toddler's Shooting Death
FINEVIEW (KDKA) - A 22-month-old child was shot and killed in the city's Fineview neighborhood Tuesday afternoon.
Neighbors say 30-year-old Harrison Marshman Jr. spent a lot of time with his girlfriend's son and took care of him while she was at work.
Marshman said the shooting was an accident, but police felt he was reckless enough to charge him.
Today, a neighbor walked over to the apartment building and placed a teddy bear on the ground.
"The mother – wow. She's the one who has to suffer," Demetra Johnson, a neighbor, said.
Police charged Marshman with homicide in the death of Josiah Gift Taylor, who would have turned 2 in November. Police said Marshman was neglectful and reckless with a firearm.
He allegedly had a gun on the couch and Josiah picked it up twice.
"For them to have that in reach, those things should be in boxes at all times," Kevin Royster, a neighbor, said. "Have to keep the guns away from the kids."
According to court papers, Marshman told police he took the magazine out of the gun after Josiah grabbed it the first time. However, the gun was put back on the couch and the toddler picked it up again.
This time, Marshman allegedly told police he tried to take a live round out of the chamber while his finger was on the trigger - pointed in the direction of the child.
The criminal complaint quotes Marshman as telling police: "Help me. I didn't mean to do it. It was an accident."
Police responded to the scene quickly.
Pittsburgh Police Sgt. Caporali ran into the Allegheny Dwellings apartment and carried the child to the ambulance.
"I don't even think his feet touched the ground. He got out of the car, ran up the steps," Wendell Kelly, a neighbor, said. "The cop came down with the baby in his arms. It was just a little spot on the baby's chest and by the time they got to the car, the baby was covered in blood."
In addition to the homicide charge, Marshman has also been charged with one count of endangering the welfare of a child.
At his arraignment this morning, Marshman was denied bail.
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