Allegheny County police have arrested two suspects in connection with the fatal shooting of a man in Wilmerding on Wednesday.
Jackiel Young, 19, of Pittsburgh and Lynell Wilson-Smith, 18, of Wilmerding are both charged with manslaughter, robbery and conspiracy in connection with the death, which investigators say occurred during a marijuana purchase.
In court documents, police identified the victim as Brandon Thompson Jr. of White Oak; his age was not given.
Authorities said he was shot in an SUV parked in front of 129 State Street in Wilmerding. He died at the scene.
Pitcairn police, who initially responded shortly before 2:15 p.m., found the victim lying outside the car next to the passenger door, according to a criminal complaint filed by the district police.
The windshield was damaged by gunfire, empty 9mm cartridges were found on the back seat and floor of the car, and suspected marijuana was found on the back floor and next to the victim, police said.
According to police, three other men fled the car before investigators arrived.
Surveillance footage shows Thompson falling to the ground from the passenger side of the car and the driver running away, the complaint says. Two other men can be seen getting out of the back of the car and fleeing between two houses.
Forensic investigations using a police dog led investigators to a residence at the rear of Watkins Avenue, where police found Wilson-Smith and another man named “Keels,” who was later identified as Young.
According to the complaint, a witness described the following incident to police: The witness drove Thompson in the SUV from Thompson’s residence to Wilmerding to “sell weed.” Two men approached the passenger window and one of them paid Thompson for a “hitch of weed.”
According to the witness, the men got into the back seat of the car while discussing buying more marijuana. One of the men put a gun to the back of the witness’s head, and when the other man pulled out a gun, Thompson began to struggle and push the gun away.
The witness said one of the men shouted, “Shoot her, just shoot her.” The witness ran when he heard a gunshot from the back seat of the car.
According to the police report, Wilson-Smith said he bought marijuana from “Connect,” Thompson’s name. After Wilson-Smith and Young sat in the back seat, Young pointed a gun at the driver.
According to the complaint, Wilson-Smith said he also drew his pistol and when Thompson pulled the gun, he was unsure if it would be taken away from him. Wilson-Smith said he pulled the trigger but denied that any ammunition was fired. He later determined that the trigger was not working properly, police said.
Wilson-Smith told police he shouted, “Hit him!” as Thompson pulled the gun.
Police executed a search warrant for the Watkins Avenue home and seized three 9mm pistols, various 9mm ammunition and three baggies of suspected marijuana.
Wilson-Smith estimated that between $200 and $300 worth of marijuana remained in the SUV after his first purchase.
Both suspects are also accused of carrying a firearm without a permit.
They were denied bail and taken to the Allegheny County Jail and are scheduled for preliminary hearings on August 30.
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter who covers the Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also covers transportation issues. He has been a journalist for more than three decades and enjoys covering local history. You can reach him at [email protected].
