Man killed in shooting outside Banksville hotel

A Fayette County man died and another man was critically injured Wednesday morning when an argument outside a Banksville hotel escalated into gunfire, Pittsburgh police said.

Allen Austin, 37, of Brownsville died at the scene of the shooting outside the Comfort Inn & Suites in the 2800 block of Banksville Road.

The other man, 36, was shot in the abdomen and torso. Paramedics took him to an undisclosed hospital, where he underwent surgery and is in critical condition. Police did not release his name or location for his protection.

Austin and the other man went into the hotel with two women to book a room, police said. When they returned to their car in the parking lot, they exchanged heated words with two people outside.

"The argument escalated into a fist fight, which escalated into shots being fired," Lt. Kevin Kraus said.

Witnesses reported several minutes of shouting before the gunshots, Kraus said. At one point, the women with the shooting victims were "sprayed with mace by one of the other two people," he said.

Shortly after 2 a.m., a man fired several rounds. Kraus said investigators are looking for the shooter and his companion.

A Comfort Inn & Suites manager did not return phone calls and messages seeking comment.