Man in custody following South Hills Terrace shootout
A Brownsville man was denied bail for allegedly shooting at a group of people, including a child, and was shot in the back of his head by a man who police said was protecting the women and child.
Rashard Shantez Carter, 28, of 71 South Hills Terrace was taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital for treatment, where he was listed in stable condition prior to his arraignment, state police said.
Police said Carter was “causing a scene” and yelling that he was going to “kill everyone” at about 2 a.m. Monday while standing in the parking lot of the Brownsville housing project with his girlfriend, Da’Taiya White, Ashanti Michaux and a 12-year-old boy.
Russell Brooks and two other men were on the other side of the parking lot, and Brooks saw Carter take out a gun, according to court paperwork. Brooks unholstered his own gun and told Carter to drop his weapon, police said, and Carter allegedly fired about nine shots at White, Michaux and the boy.
Authorities said Brooks chose to shoot at Carter “to stop the action and protect the people he was shooting at.”
Brooks is not facing charges. Police collected 9-mm and 10-mm shell casings from the scene.
Carter ran into his home after Brooks fired shots, and state police set up a perimeter. Carter allegedly climbed out of a second story window and attempted to run away. A trooper chased Carter and deployed a Taser at him when he would not stop, causing him to fall to the ground. He was arrested and taken to the hospital.
Police said Carter has multiple arrest warrants out of Ohio and is not permitted to possess a firearm due to a 2013 burglary conviction and 2020 drug conviction, both in Ohio.
He is charged with two counts each of attempted homicide and aggravated assault, six counts each of terroristic threats and simple assault, and one count each of possession of a firearm prohibited, flight to avoid apprehension, endangering the welfare of children, firearm not to be carried without a license, recklessly endangering another person and resisting arrest.
Carter was arraigned Monday night before on-call Magisterial District Judge Jennifer Jeffries and remains in Fayette County Prison.