Police: Suspect Fatally Shoots Man From Passenger Seat Of Uber, Threatens Driver

CARRICK (KDKA) -- A man has been charged in connection with a deadly shooting that took place in Carrick early Sunday morning.

Derek Vasos, 37,  has been charged with homicide as well as intimidation of a witness and terroristic threats.

According to a criminal complaint, an Uber driver interviewed by detectives indicated that they were working at 2:30 a.m. Sunday when they received a ride request from someone identified as "Derek."

"Derek" got into the Uber outside the Carrick Lit Club on Copperfield Street, sitting in the passenger's seat. Another white male was seen standing in front of the Uber "taunting" the passenger.

The white male walked around to the passenger side. As the driver attempted to drive forward, a loud bang was heard that caused a ringing in the driver's ear.

A separate witness, who was in a vehicle behind the Uber, reported hearing a gunshot and watching the white male walk over to his vehicle with a gunshot wound to the chest. The victim, identified as Donald Ketter, Jr., 28, was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital, where he was pronounced dead just before 4:30 a.m.

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The passenger told the Uber driver to "go." The driver obeyed the order out of fear and watched the passenger disassemble .22-caliber handgun. The passenger then called someone named "Tom" to come pick him up.

After exiting the vehicle, the passenger asked the driver what they saw. The driver indicated that they wanted no trouble and would not say anything.

The passenger replied "yes," and used his finger to motion across his neck (gesture of cutting one's throat.)

The Uber driver flagged down a police officer to report the incident and eventually picked Derek Vasos out of a series of photographs.

Vasos is being held in the Allegheny County Jail.