Police arrest Pittsburgh teen suspected in Homewood homicide

An East Liberty teenager is accused of setting up a drug deal that led to a fatal shooting in September in Homewood.

The Western Pennsylvania Fugitive Task Force and Pittsburgh police arrested Steven Cansler, 16, on Wednesday and charged him with homicide, robbery, conspiracy and criminal use of a communications device, court records show.

Cansler is charged in connection with the Sept. 17 shooting death of Daija McCall, 17, of Homewood, according to a criminal complaint.

A witness told detectives Cansler helped set up a deal in which McCall would sell a half kilo of cocaine to a person named “Don Don” and a third suspect. The drug deal had been set up solely to rob McCall, according to the complaint.

McCall was shot in the chest near Mount Vernon and Belmar streets. Police found drugs and a gun next to her body.

One of the suspects told Cansler the robbery didn't go as planned. Don Don shot McCall after McCall pulled out a gun, Cansler told police.

Don Don and the third suspect were on the run as of late Wednesday. Officers searched for one of the suspects on Dunlap Street in Perry North, but they didn't find him, Public Safety spokeswoman Emily Schaffer said.

During the search, they arrested Brent Simms, 19, of Perry North on unrelated drug charges, Schaffer said.

Tony Raap is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 412-320-7827 or traap@tribweb.com.