Man injured in downtown Indiana, PA shooting

[mjf]

link: http://indianagazette.com/articles/2...9633044008.txt

Man injured in downtown Indiana shooting
By CHAUNCEY ROSS, chauncey@indianagazette.net

Published: Saturday, April 4, 2009 3:29 AM EDT
An Indiana University of Pennsylvania student underwent surgery this morning at a Johnstown trauma center after being shot at 2:08 a.m. on a downtown Indiana street.

(Originally published Friday, April 3, 2009)

Indiana Borough police publicized photos of a group of men, one of whom they believe to be the shooter, asking downtown tavern patrons for information leading to their identification.

The shooting followed a confrontation that began with racial comments made toward one of the victim’s friends, a witness said.

Officials at Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown reported the victim, 21-year-old Justin David McCoy, of Springfield, Va., was in fair condition this morning.

McCoy was hit in the abdomen by one of at least four small-caliber bullets fired at him and a group of friends on South Carpenter Avenue near Gompers Avenue, it was reported.

One of McCoy’s friends narrowly escaped being wounded when a slug passed through his baggy pants near his knee, a witness told the Gazette.

Philip Paterson, 21, of Indiana, said he and a friend heard a lot of yelling on Carpenter Avenue as they walked along Philadelphia Street, followed by four to six gunshots that “almost sounded like firecrackers.” They ran across the street to check because Paterson’s friend recognized his cousin among the group that was the target of the gunfire.

“The victim was still standing right there and I heard him say he got shot,” Paterson said. “He lifted up his shirt and you could see the entrance wound right below his ribs on the side.”

Paterson said he is a member of the Indiana Fire Association and works part time as a dispatcher for the Indiana County 911 center.

McCoy remained alert and complained of dizziness just before Citizens’ Ambulance Service paramedics arrived, Paterson said.

A group that included the suspected gunman had encountered McCoy’s group in H.B. Culpeppers tavern along Philadelphia Street and followed McCoy and his friends when they left the bar about closing time, according to borough Police Chief William Sutton.

Witnesses told police that members of the suspected shooter’s group, all black men, were making remarks in the bar.

The men made race-related comments directed at a Saudi Arabian man among McCoy’s group, according to a witness who asked not to be identified because he feared for his safety.

“They called one of my friends some racial names,” the witness said. “Some words were exchanged. Then everybody left because it was closing time.

“We went to our car behind The Coney and the black guys headed that way, too. That’s when the shots rang out.”

The witness said the ethnic dispute seemed to subside.

“It started out as the issue, but as things progressed it was just these guys looking for a fight,” he said.

Sutton said witnesses identified pictures of those possibly involved from a surveillance recording made by H.B. Culpeppers.

“Our understanding is this (McCoy’s) group did not have an exchange,” Sutton said. “They ended up across the street on Carpenter Avenue” and the other group followed.

“One of the members continued being boisterous and made remarks toward the group that left. Apparently one became more extremely boisterous and when another tried to calm him down, a firearm was brought out,” Sutton said.

The gunman seemed to squeeze off the shots at random, witnesses told police.

Paterson said one of McCoy’s friends showed him where the leg of his pants had two holes, where a bullet had entered and exited.

McCoy remained calm, all things considered, according to Paterson.

“I almost didn’t believe he got shot — he was just standing there,” Paterson said. “He was more mad than anything.

“We had to talk him into going over and sitting down and relaxing.”

Paterson said a lot of people stopped, trying to be helpful, “which could be good or bad in that kind of situation. I was trying to do what I could without getting in the way.

“He wasn’t bleeding all that much.”

The Indiana Fire Association set up spotlights and assisted investigators, who recovered four or five spent bullet shells from the street, according to Sutton.

“At this point we’d like to get these photos out,” Sutton said. “We need to identify the people involved in the shooting.”

McCoy is a criminology major who resides locally along Sportsman Club Road, Shelocta, according to IUP.

This is a real shame.

[dunsho]

sometimes you just run into stupid mofos and there's nothing you can do. fate. looks like he'll be okay tho. hope they catch the ass and gives him 5 attempted murder charge for the 5 shots.
in this situation, can the ppl that the shooters was with also be charged

[Frenchy]

Indiana Borough police publicized photos of a group of men, one of whom they believe to be the shooter, asking downtown tavern patrons for information leading to their identification.

Looked at the article and did not see any pictures of "Suspects" you would think they would post on the Internet to get more coverage.

Odd that the shooter was not shooting at the person he was making racial remarks to. One could almost say there where ulterior motives here.

[edstephan]

No wonder I carry everywhere


An OC Activist and 1 of the 3%
Ed Stephan

[Statkowski]

Also posted in The Penn, IUP's school newspaper, complete with a picture of the young Philadelphia thug. http://media.www.thepenn.org/media/s...-3700396.shtml

Although he just turned 20, he was not charged with being a minor in possession of a firearm, nor carrying a firearm concealed without a license. Of course, compared to the three F1 charges filed, these two would be the least of his worries.

Court docket found here: http://ujsportal.pacourts.us/DocketS...=CR-0000175-09

[angus]

Sounds like a hate crime to me. Wonder if the prosecutor deems it as such.

[Statkowski]

Can't be a hate crime. He wasn't of European ancestry.

[vic2367]

Sounds like a hate crime to me. Wonder if the prosecutor deems it as such.

was thinking the same thing

[vic2367]

Can't be a hate crime. He wasn't of European ancestry.

yes , your right about that one

[Pyrotek85]

Anyone else find it ironic that it occurred on Philadelphia Street?