Cops: North Carolina man killed in New Kensington had been in shootout

Investigators haven’t identified any suspects in the fatal shooting of a 23-year-old North Carolina man last month in New Kensington, according to city police Chief Bob Deringer.

The shooting happened around 9:20 p.m. Nov. 21 in the 100 block of Catalpa Street.

The man who died, identified as Jonathan Woods, appears to have been involved in a shootout, according to Deringer. The chief said Woods had three guns on him at the time of the shooting and investigators recovered shell casings from two different guns at the scene.

“There were two different caliber shell casings in two separate locations that indicated the victim was shooting and whoever else was there was shooting,” he said. “Numerous spent shell casings were located at the intersection of Proctor Alley and Catalpa Street with one additional shell casing found near the victim.”

Deringer couldn’t say what type of guns Woods had on him or what kind of guns the shell casings came from.

Other details remain unclear. Deringer said police were never able to speak with Woods and they have not tracked down any witnesses or video footage of the incident.

There are no suspects, Deringer said.

Woods was flown to UPMC Presbyterian in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood after the shooting. He died of a gunshot wound to the head on Nov. 26, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Deringer said Woods’ parents told investigators that their son recently came to Western Pennsylvania from North Carolina. He had been staying with a woman in Tarentum, but Deringer said Woods had a Pennsylvania identification card listing an Arnold address.

Westmoreland County Detectives are assisting New Kensington police in the investigation.

Anyone with information to call 911 or New Kensington police at 724-339-7534.