Christopher Kearns, superintendent of the Allegheny County Police Department, discusses the arrest of Darryl Pirl of West Mifflin in relation to the Sept. 24 shooting at Kennywood. Three people were injured, including 15-year-old Pirl.
Sarah Boden / 90.5 WESA
Sarah Boden / 90.5 WESA
Christopher Kearns, superintendent of the Allegheny County Police Department, discusses the arrest of Darryl Pirl of West Mifflin in relation to the Sept. 24 shooting at Kennywood. Three people were injured, including 15-year-old Pirl.
A 15-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with last month’s shooting at Kennywood in which three people were wounded.
Allegheny County Police said they believe that Darryl Pirl of West Mifflin is one of two shooters involved in the Sept. 24 incident, which caused chaos during the first night of Kennywood’s Phantom Fall Fest. Police suspect the other shooter they’re seeking is also a juvenile.
Pirl was one of the three people who were wounded. The other two were another 15-year-old boy and a 39-year-old man; neither is a suspect.
Police couldn’t say how the guns got into Kennywood, though it’s possible the weapons were either carried or tossed over the park’s fence.
Police say Pirl received a grazing wound to his thigh during the shooting. The teen reportedly left the park before receiving medical care, though he was later seen at UPMC McKeesport.
Pirl, who has been denied bail, is being charged as an adult. This is permitted in Pennsylvania if a suspect is age 15 or older and accused of using a weapon in a crime. Specifically, the teen faces two counts of aggravated assault and one count each of carrying a firearm without a license, possessing a firearm by a minor, and recklessly endangering another person.
“We do believe there’s an ongoing feud between two groups of teenage males from the Homestead and city of Duquesne areas,” said Allegheny County Police Assistant Superintendent Victor Joseph during a news conference Thursday morning to announce Pirl’s arrest.
Joseph said that since June 1, officers from Duquesne and Homestead had responded to more than 55 calls of shots fired. These include a shooting at a June 4 graduation party in Homestead at which two teens were wounded. Four other teens were hurt on Saturday, Aug. 6, during a shooting around a residential parking lot in Duquesne.
And during the early evening of Friday, Sept. 2, 14-year-old La’Japonis Roberts was killed while sitting in a Chevy Malibu at the intersection of Priscilla Ave. and Catherine Street.
Allegheny County police encourage anyone with information on these shootings to contact the department.
A collection of interviews, photos, and music videos, featuring local musicians who have stopped by the WITF performance studio to share a little discussion and sound. Produced by WITF’s Joe Ulrich.
