PITTSBURGH -- Gunfire on Pittsburgh's North Side ended the life of a young, pregnant student from Indiana University of Pennsylvania late Friday night.
Pittsburgh police Cmdr. Thomas Stangrecki released a statement overnight, identifying the victim as Shavaughn Wallace, saying she was shot several times in the back shortly after 11 p.m. in the area of 215 Alpine St.
Officers who arrived at the scene said Wallace, 18, was found lying on the ground. According to the statement, she was inside a car in the area when a man emerged from an overgrown vacant lot at Alpine Street and Pryor Way and started shooting into the crowd.
Jivin Moore, who was not at the scene at the time of the shooting, said Wallace was his brother's girlfriend, and the two were playing cards with friends outside.
"Someone came out of the bushes. The girl was in the car and she was trying to get out of the car. Everybody was running, so she was just trying to get out of the car, I guess," Moore said.
The gunfire struck two cars, including the car in which Wallace was sitting. She was able to get out of the car, but collapsed a short distance away and was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene.
Moore lives near the scene and said Wallace had a bright future ahead of her.
"She was actually enrolled in school at IUP. She was a college student, and she was here during her summer break, over here just being with her boyfriend and ended up losing her life," Moore said.
Wallace was described by relatives as beautiful, inside and out. Those with whom WTAE Channel 4 Action News spoke can't seem to make sense of what they call a tragedy.
"The girl was happy," said Larry Coleman, a relative. "She was trying to do something with her life. Her mom and dad supported her all the way. It is sad that something like this happened."
No arrests were made and a motive remained under investigation.
If you have information regarding this investigation, contact the Pittsburgh Homicide Squad by dialing
412-323-7161. Callers can remain anonymous.
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