Shooting of child spurs large brawl, shooting at Pittsburgh Children's Hospital

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The shooting of a 6-year-old Pittsburgh girl sparked a fight between two sides of her family at the hospital where she was being treated, spurring another shooting that left two men wounded and a third facing charges. The brawl in front of UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh on Thursday night involved at least 30 people, Pittsburgh police said. It occurred about four hours after the girl was shot in the abdomen and critically injured in the city’s Homewood section.

Some people in the crowd were arguing when the dispute turned physical, according to the police. They said gunfire soon erupted and one man was shot several times, causing critical injuries, while the second victim did not realize he had been wounded until he had returned home.

Gerald Porter, 22, was charged with four counts of aggravated assault and two counts of reckless endangerment in connection with the shooting. Mr. Porter told police that he became frightened when he saw a man punching his uncle, so he pulled a gun from his pocket and fired at the assailant. The bullets hit Mr. Porter’s uncle and the man who had hit him, police said, adding that Mr. Porter’s uncle was the man who did not immediately realize he had been wounded.

Authorities have not released details about the shooting that wounded the child, but said no arrests have been made in that case. The girl’s name has not been released.

https://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2021/06/11/Shooting-of-child-spurs-large-brawl-shooting-at-hospital/stories/202106110145