Teen dies following Uniontown shooting; police seeking public’s help to identify suspect
A 19-year-old man died Monday afternoon at a hospital, the day after he was shot in a vehicle near Pershing Court in Uniontown.
Keon’te “Keon” McCargo of Uniontown was a passenger in the vehicle when he was shot at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday in the area of Liberty Street and Park Avenue, said Uniontown City Police Lt. Tom Kolencik.
No arrests have been made. Kolencik said they are still working to determine the events that led to the shooting. Police are investigating whether the suspect was in a separate vehicle or on foot, and whether shots were fired at the suspect from the victim’s vehicle.
“Early reports indicate there were two vehicles chasing each other and there were shots fired,” he said.
Three other people were in the vehicle with McCargo. Kolencik said two of them fled the scene without giving him aid.
“It’s still early in the investigation. The biggest stumbling block, at this point, is cooperation,” he said. “We’re not even getting cooperation from the other people in the vehicle, who were his own friends.”
Kolencik said tips can be made anonymously.
“We’re sensitive to the fact that people are afraid of retaliation. We’re not going to put their lives in jeopardy,” he said.
Even small pieces of information can lead to an arrest, he said, such as footage from a surveillance camera or something a person saw while out shoveling snow.
“We’re trying to put together a very big puzzle right now,” he said. “You don’t have to leave a name. You can just leave a message and say, ‘This is what I saw.'”
He said help from the public is “more important than ever” with recurring shootings and violent crimes involving youth.
“It’s not just about solving a crime. It’s about bringing peace to the family and bringing peace to the community and our city,” he said. “Our city is not one to sit back and let this happen. Historically, our city comes together and I’m confident that will happen again. We’re hoping that solving this crime can bring an end to the violence.”
Uniontown City Police are also investigating shots fired outside Dollar General on Gallatin Avenue Extension early evening Monday. No injuries were reported, and no arrests have been made. Kolencik said police have not yet determined whether the shootings were related.
Anyone with information is asked to call Uniontown City Police at 724-439-2929 or Fayette County Crime Stoppers at 724-320-2042.