One Year Later, Wilkinsburg Shootings Beg Question: 'Why?'

The western Pennsylvania town of Wilkinsburg, once known as the "Community of Churches," was thrust into the center of the news universe for approximately three hours on March 1, 2000.

Wilkinsburg, March 1, 2000 SLIDESHOW The Wilkinsburg Shootings ARTICLES Taylor Deemed Competent To Stand Trial Taylor To Be Moved From Jail Shooting Inspires Racist Backlash Wilkinsburg Ministers To March Taylor's Attorney Wants Mental Evaluation Shooting Victim Begins Rehab Gunman Left Four-Page Suicide Note Pastors Urge Prayer, Healing Wilkinsburg Tries To Recover Community Mourns Victims Third Victim Dies Pittsburgh Hate-Crime Investigation Begins Gunman Enraged Over Maintenance Gunman Described As 'Quiet' Victim Was Former Priest, Storyteller VIDEO Wilkinsburg, One Year Later March 1, 2001 -- Witnesses Remember Victim Richard Clinger Talks About Taylor Attorney: Taylor Still Not Responsive Woman Has Brush With Shooter Parents' Nightmare Video Recap, Part 1 Video Recap, Part 2 Psychiatrist, Defense Attorney Speak Witnesses Remember Meeting Taylor AUDIO Police Try To Make Sense Of Shooting Via Radio Police Radio, Part II

Ronald Taylor, 40, allegedly went on a shooting rampage. Three were killed. Two were wounded. Many lives were changed forever. Richard Clinger, one of the wounded, can barely talk. During Taylor's preliminary hearing in August, Clinger managed to express the thoughts of many by asking: "Why?" Wilkinsburg, with a population of approximately 11,000, had earned its nickname because it has 33 churches within its 2.3 square miles. Wilkinsburg's major crimes had fallen from more than 800 in 1993 to about 200 in 1998, according to WTAE-TV news reports. The community had experienced its share of economic woes and its police chief has recently resigned amid a scandal. It's unlikely that anything will compare with March 1, 2000, according to events chronicled during preliminary hearing testimony. At approximately 11 a.m., in apartment 510 at Woodside Gardens, 1208 Wood St., maintenance worker John DeWitt said that Taylor confronted him. Taylor reportedly became angry that workers were taking too long to fix the door to his apartment. DeWitt said that Taylor, who is black, called him "dirty white trash" as DeWitt fixed the door to Taylor's apartment. Another maintenance man, Andrew Williams, said that Taylor later shot a white carpenter, John Kroll, who had helped with the door. Kroll later died. Police who arrived at the apartment found it on fire.

Taylor, armed with a .22-caliber weapon, then went to a neighboring Burger King and allegedly shot one man there. Buffart Anderson, an employee at a Burger King restaurant a few blocks from Taylor's apartment, said that Taylor walked into the restaurant and shot a white man, Joseph Healy, 71, a former priest turned professional storyteller. Healy died.

Taylor then allegedly walked to a nearby McDonald's and shot three more victims. Henry White, a worker at a nearby McDonald's, said that Taylor shot his boss, Steven Bostard -- who later recovered -- and a customer, Emil Sanielevici, 20. Sanielevici died. Candace Zambo testified that Taylor shot Richard Clinger, her mother's boyfriend, as they sat in a van in the McDonald's parking lot. Clinger survived, but cannot walk and talk normally. Christine McCrae, a black woman who lives near the McDonald's, testified that Taylor walked into her apartment, told her he would not hurt her, and left after a few minutes. Share Your Thoughts On The Shootings "He asked me was there any white people in the building," she said. "I said, 'I didn't know.' He said he was only after white people." Taylor allegedly fled into the Penn West Building, an office building that housed day-care and senior-citizens centers. Workers and more than three-dozen children were evacuated under a police escort. Patty Papenmeier, a worker at a medical clinic in the building, said that Taylor kept her and other employees as hostages before giving up, and said that he planned to kill himself. "He said, 'I have one bullet left, which one of you shall I use it on?'" Papenmeier said. Pittsburgh police Sgt. John Fisher entered the building and negotiated with Taylor for two hours. He is credited for having convinced Taylor not to hurt anyone else. Taylor surrendered at about 2 p.m. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the unarmed and handcuffed Taylor later looked at Fisher in the hallway of the Penn West Building and asked whether Fisher was the person that he had been talking to. Fisher confirmed that it was true. "You did a good job," Taylor said. The accused is in the Allegheny County Jail awaiting trial in May. Taylor's attorney will mount an insanity defense. A death sentence is being sought. Police found writings in Taylor's apartment that they said he had signed and titled: "The Satan List." It stated numerous times his anger toward whites. Almost two months later, another apparently racially motivated shooting spree occurred in the city's western suburbs. The coverage by WTAE-TV was a work in progress that yielded two Emmy Awards. News director Bob Longo stood on a chair in the midst of the WTAE newsroom as he briefed the staff of his coverage strategy. Producers and editors quickly redirected reporters and photographers from prior assignments. The scene was three miles from the studio. "It was crazy," said Longo. "The scanner was blasting all sorts of information and all you-know-what was breaking loose. "We sent as many people from the building as we could. We put (anchor) Scott (Baker) in front of the camera and just let the information flow." Click here for Baker's account of the situation. "The tragic nature, emotion and the suspect's capture unfolding on live television was just mind-boggling," said Longo. Sky 4 circled the building upon seeing the SWAT team enter from the front. It captured the first images of Taylor being led from the building. In its March 2 edition, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review credited WTAE's Web site, ThePittsburghChannel.com, with breaking the news of Taylor's capture.