Arrest made week after man found shot dead in Allentown home
Jan. 27—A 19-year-old man from Pittsburgh's St. Clair neighborhood has been charged in a fatal shooting in the city's Allentown neighborhood.
James Linnert faces a single charge of criminal homicide in the Jan. 20 death of Joshua Hamilton, also 19, who had been shot in the neck and arm at a residence in the 800 block of Loyal Way.
Police used fingerprints to identify Hamilton.
According to a criminal complaint against Linnert, officers responded to the shooting shortly after 10 p.m. A woman, identified as a witness, and Linnert were seen leaving the residence. The woman told police that Linnert had shot the victim, who she said was in the kitchen.
An officer detained Linnert and placed him in a police vehicle.
While sweeping the residence, police said a detective saw two firearms, a rifle and a shotgun, and a bandolier of shotgun shells on the front porch. Shotgun shells were also seen in the living room.
In the kitchen, where Hamilton was found, police said they found a semi-automatic pistol on the floor and spent shotgun shells.
According to the complaint, the woman told police that she had been upstairs with her 4-month-old daughter and Linnert and Hamilton, his friend, were downstairs. She said that earlier in the day, both men had brought guns to the house because they were going to a shooting range.
The woman told police she heard them arguing before hearing a bang. She went downstairs and saw Hamilton down on the kitchen floor, after which Linnert told her to call 911.
The woman told police that Linnert told her he tried to disarm Hamilton after Hamilton pointed a shotgun at him. He said Hamilton's finger must have been on the trigger, and it went off when he pushed the gun away.
Police said a pathologist with the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's office determined it would not have been possible for Hamilton to have pulled the trigger on the shotgun and cause the wounds he received. Hamilton's death was ruled a homicide from gunshot wounds to the neck.
The complaint did not include any information directly from Linnert, or indicate if police had interviewed him. He did not have an attorney listed in court records.
Linnert was arrested Wednesday. He was sent to the Allegheny County Jail after being denied bail when he was arraigned early Thursday morning.
Linnert is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 2.
Brian C. Rittmeyer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Brian at 724-226-4701, brittmeyer@triblive.com or via Twitter .
