East End mother killed in firefight between police, drug suspects
Three masked men held an 8-year-old boy at gunpoint while demanding drug money from his mother early yesterday, moments before a fierce gun battle erupted with city police, killing the woman.
The downward trajectory of the bullet that killed Arika Hainesworth, 24, suggests that police did not fire the fatal shot, police Chief Nate Harper said, but ballistics tests weren't complete.
Police shot one of the accused gunmen, Richard Woodward, 19, before he was arrested, Harper said. Two other suspects, one possibly wounded, remained at large last night. Their names have not been released, and no descriptions were made available. Woodward was hospitalized and underwent surgery for a wound to his torso.
Hainesworth allowed drug dealers to use her East End apartment as a safe haven for drugs and money, Harper said. Police found 43 bricks of heroin in the woman's purse, with a street value of $52,000, and more heroin in one of her son's socks.
The chief said Hainesworth was an example of women enticed with money to pay rent and utilities, and buy clothing for their children.
"They do target single females — two or three kids possibly — and they hide their drugs where they don't bring the drug trafficking to the house," Harper said.
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office said Hainesworth died of a gunshot wound to the chest, and ruled her death a homicide. She was pronounced dead at UPMC Presbyterian hospital.
"Our hearts and condolences go out to the family of Arika Hainesworth," Harper said.
Police Cmdr. Thomas Stangrecki said Woodward, who lives a few blocks from Hainesworth, will be charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, illegal firearm possession, robbery and burglary.
The five officers involved in the shooting, including a sergeant, have been placed on paid administrative leave while city and state police, along with the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office, investigate, Harper said. Four officers suffered minor injuries when they scrambled for safety during the gunfire.
Hainesworth, her son, two other women and a man were in her apartment in the East Hills housing complex just after 3 a.m. Sunday, when two or three men wearing bandannas showed up at her front door, the chief said.
The men left, and Hainesworth called a man whom Harper identified only as "Mr. Jackson," telling him what had just happened. Jackson arrived and apparently looked for the men without success, the chief said.
Once Jackson entered Hainesworth's apartment, Harper said, the three masked men returned, and as the adults fled to the second floor to hide, the gunmen kicked in the door and began trashing the apartment.
Hainesworth, who was hiding in a closet with Jackson, dialed 911, Harper said, and dispatchers could hear glass breaking.
The gunmen found everyone upstairs, the chief said, and at least one of them grabbed Hainesworth's son and threatened to shoot him if she didn't turn over the drug money.
At the same time, Harper said, officers converged on the building with weapons drawn. The gunmen had gone outside but retreated inside as they fired at police, igniting the gun battle in which more than 40 rounds were fired. At least one of the men fired from a second-floor window.
Hainesworth managed to flee the apartment just before she was shot, Stangrecki said.
Woodward exchanged fire with police, Stangrecki said. The suspects jumped from second-floor windows to escape, Harper said.
Woodward likely ditched a gun in nearby woods before police arrested him, Stangrecki said. One of the other two gunmen might have been wounded, Harper said, before they escaped into the woods.
Several police departments from the surrounding area used dogs to search for the men but couldn't find them. On Sunday afternoon, a state police helicopter hovered as police continued their search.
One man in the apartment was shot in the hand. Harper said police were investigating how he was wounded.
Stangrecki said four guns apparently used in the home invasion were taken as evidence, along with the officers' firearms.
Hours after the shooting, someone placed a white cross near the trash bin where Hainesworth's body was found a few dozen yards from her apartment. Blood trails stained sidewalks surrounding the building.
Next-door neighbor Arlene Wadley scrunched her hands in front of her face as she described how she slid off her bed when she heard "pop, pop, pop, pop!"
"I was sitting on the floor," Wadley said. "The noise was very frightening."
She believed she heard Hainesworth shouting, "Please help me!" just after the gunfire stopped, Wadley added.
Stanley Harvey, who lives with Wadley, said Hainesworth had moved into the government-subsidized complex in the past several months and often was seen playing outside with her sons, ages 8 and 2.
Wadley was surprised to hear that police found heroin in Hainesworth's purse.
"I wouldn't have thought that. She was a nice person," she said.
