McKeesport teen shot in jaw

A 19-year-old male was shot in the face on Tuesday afternoon in McKeesport.

The victim — identified by family as Robert Smarr — was in front of a house at the corner of Beaver and Soles streets when he was shot in the jaw.

Witnesses said they heard four shots and saw the bleeding victim on the pavement.

“I heard the boy over here scream and fall to the ground,” said one witness who did not wish to be identified. The man said he ran up to the victim and “saw the blood just gushing out.”

McKeesport police Assistant Chief Tom Greene said it appeared Smarr was hit in the jaw with a bullet that did not exit his body. He was flown by emergency medical helicopter to an area hospital .

Crime scene investigators collected what appeared to be shell casings on Beaver Street near an abandoned garage that was overgrown with weeds.

The shooting, which occurred about 2:30 p.m., is the second one in daylight in the city this week.

On Sunday, Anthony Robertson, 37, of McKeesport was fatally shot in the Harrison Village housing complex about 5:30 p.m. No one has been arrested in that case.

The incident on Tuesday occurred two doors from the scene of a deadly March 23 fire on Soles Street that claimed the life of 2-year-old Ayanna Brooks, a blaze authorities believe was started by the victim's 5-year-old cousin.

Residents of the neighborhood watched as investigators processed the scene on Tuesday. Mae Hudson said she is tired of gun violence. “I don't know what we can do. We need help here in McKeesport.”

Hudson's son Carlos Hudson, 37, and 49-year-old Jana Randolph were shot to death nearly a year ago in the city; their killers remain at large.

“Our boys are dying,” she said. “We need our community back.”

Greene said witnesses were uncooperative in the immediate aftermath of the incident on Tuesday.

Louise Coleman, who identified herself as the victim's grandmother, said Smarr celebrated his 19th birthday on Sunday.

Eric Slagle is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-664-9161, ext. 1966, or eslagle@tribweb.com.