2 Pittsburgh men charged in connection with North Side shooting that left 3 dead

Nov. 2—John Mehalic wants justice.

The Latrobe man's daughter Jacquelyn Mehalic, 33, was an innocent bystander killed Oct. 15 in a shooting near what police have called an open-air drug market on Pittsburgh's North Side. Jaylone D. Hines, 21, of Pittsburgh, was charged Wednesday in connection with her murder and taken to Allegheny County Jail, where he was held without bail.

"I'm hoping they're going to charge him with the maximum they can," Mehalic told the Tribune-Review on Wednesday. "They took my daughter away from me for life — for no reason. They should be in jail for life."

"I'm glad somebody's going to be held accountable for her murder. I'm glad they got him," added Bridgette Mehalic, Jacquelyn's mother. "But it doesn't bring closure. It doesn't make what we're going through any easier."

Two Pittsburgh men were charged Wednesday in connection with three deaths during the fatal shooting near Allegheny Commons last month.

Hines is accused in the deaths of Jacquelyn Mehalic and Betty J. Averytt, 59, the innocent bystanders who police said were standing at a bus shelter when a Sunoco gas-station argument escalated into gunfire. John Hornezes, Jr., 20, who police said was involved in the shooting, also was killed.

Police said in the criminal complaint that Hines was shot in the calf during the gunfire. A fourth man, who police have not named, also was injured.

Hines is charged with two counts each of homicide, attempted homicide and aggravated assault and single counts of conspiracy and a weapons violation. He is being held without bail at Allegheny County Jail and did not have an attorney listed in online court records.

Charron Troutman, 19, was charged Wednesday morning with homicide, attempted homicide, aggravated assault, two weapons violations and two counts of conspiracy to commit homicide in Hornezes' death. Troutman was denied bail. He had been jailed since Monday on separate charges.

Pittsburgh police and city officials gathered Wednesday in front of the shooting victims' families to hail the police work that led to this week's arrests, and relate to the victims.

"I've been to enough funerals," Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey told the families. "But the key lies in the neighborhood, I know that ... Only together are we going to make this better."

One family member, holding a framed photo of Averytt, said she was heartbroken but given hope by the arrests.

"I'm very grateful my family and I can stand here today," LaRonda Averytt, Betty's daughter, told reporters.

"We're grateful to the detectives and to the police department," added Betty's sister, Patricia Averytt-Wharton. "We just want justice done for our loved ones."

Police said several people were involved in the 10 p.m. shooting in the 300 block of Cedar Avenue, near Allegheny Commons. The shooting has prompted police and city officials to plead with residents and witnesses for information and efforts to combat gun and street violence on the North Side.

Police initially said in court documents that the shooting was connected to "gang activity" on the city's North Side.

Detective David O'Neil pushed back Wednesday on the notion that Pittsburgh is suffering at the hands of gangs, instead pointing to loosely affiliated groups that communicate through social media.

"I wouldn't say we have a gang problem — no," O'Neil said.

Gainey added that some young men record rap videos where they diss, or insult, each other and then post them to social media, which the mayor said leads to a circle of violence.

Court papers said Hornezes was pronounced dead at a hospital after being found wounded near a playground in West Park. Police said they found a gun in the grass next to his arm.

Hines is not accused in connection with Hornezes' death, but rather is charged with conspiring with Hornezes during the shooting.

On Friday, less than two weeks after the deadly shooting near Allegheny Commons, six people were shot outside of Destiny of Faith Church in Brighton Heights during a funeral service for Hornezes. Police are investigating and will not say whether the latest shooting was in retaliation for Hornezes' involvement in a shooting elsewhere on the North Side.

After police were called to the Oct. 15 shooting, they sifted through surveillance video footage to identify several people who were involved in the gun battle, according to the complaint. Investigators spotted a Hyundai Tucson and Hyundai Palisade that were both at a gas station at the same time just before the shooting.

Hines was seen getting out of the Palisade and going to the gas pumps where the Tucson was parked, police said.

Troutman, one of two men in the Tucson, showed Hines a gun, according to the complaint.

Hines ran to the park and is seen, along with another man who has not been identified, shooting at the Tucson as it leaves the gas station parking lot. The unidentified man left in the Palisade while Hines was driven to the hospital.

Both the driver of the Tucson and Troutman are seen in surveillance video leaning out their respective windows firing shots toward the park, according to the complaint. Police said the deaths of Mehalic and Averytt happened during a "concerted assault stemming from gang activity."

Hines and Troutman are scheduled to appear for preliminary hearings on Nov. 18.

John Mehalic hopes justice is swift for the man accused of killing his daughter.

"I'm hoping they don't mess around and do plea bargains and everything," he told the Tribune-Review.

Bridgette Mehalic, who is divorced from John Mehalic, is now raising Jacquelyn's four children. A GoFundMe campaign she started received 164 donations totaling $8,675 on a $7,500 goal for funeral expenses.

Bridgette Mehalic said the rest of the money will go toward creating a keepsake out of Jacquelyn's cremated ashes for her children.

Betty Averytt's family also started a GoFundMe campaign, through which 70 donations raised $3,660 on a $10,000 goal as of Wednesday.

"Our family is asking for contributions toward providing (Averytt) with a memorial service," the page read. "All help and support is greatly appreciated and we ask that you please keep the Averytt family and the other victims' families in your prayers as they navigate through this devastating time."