WHITE TOWNSHIP, PA – A private party at a community center in Pennsylvania turned tragic early Sunday when a shooting left one person dead and eight others injured. The incident occurred at the Chevy Chase Community Center in White Township, approximately 50 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, according to state police in Indiana County.
The victims, aged between 18 and 23, were shot around 12:35 a.m. Among them was a 22-year-old man from Pittsburgh who succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Lt. Col. George Bivens, who is leading the investigation, believes that multiple shooters were involved in the incident. The crime scene yielded dozens of spent shell casings, multiple firearms, and other evidence such as clothing and cellphones.
Despite the severity of the incident, Bivens reassured the public that the shooting was an isolated event, confined to the party attendees. He also mentioned that the police had been alerted to excessive noise from the community center around midnight, and a mounted unit was dispatched to monitor the situation. Upon arrival, the unit heard gunshots, called for backup, and witnessed people fleeing the scene.
The community center, which was not particularly large, was believed to have been hosting over 150 people at the time of the shooting. Bivens described the ensuing chaos as people tried to escape the gunfire by any means possible, including diving through windows and running through doors.
Among the injured were an 18-year-old man from Chicago, critically wounded, and an 18-year-old man from Florida. The remaining victims, all from Pennsylvania, included three men aged 19, 20, and 22, two 19-year-old women, and a 23-year-old woman. Six of the victims remain hospitalized, with one in critical condition.
Authorities are now working to identify who rented the venue and hosted the event. No suspects have been apprehended yet, and a reward of up to $15,000 is being offered in exchange for information leading to arrests and prosecution.