Justin Vellucci
@jvthetrib.bsky.social
News reporter at @TRIBLive. Covering crime and communities in
@Pittsburgh. Verified news, context and behind-the-scenes reporting. #FourthEstate
@Pittsburgh. Verified news, context and behind-the-scenes reporting. #FourthEstate
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Justin Vellucci
@jvthetrib.bsky.social
· Aug 27
I’m a @triblive.bsky.social reporter covering public safety in Western PA.
It’s not just crime scenes or courtrooms — it’s about the people and neighborhoods at the heart of every story.
Follow for updates from #Pittsburgh’s streets.
Tips: jvellucci@triblive.com
It’s not just crime scenes or courtrooms — it’s about the people and neighborhoods at the heart of every story.
Follow for updates from #Pittsburgh’s streets.
Tips: jvellucci@triblive.com
From #Pittsburgh police: 3 arrested in 'preplanned' Downtown beating near #Kaufmann’s clock.
The victim was punched 20–30 times, kicked as he lay on the ground in the fetal position — and 1 suspect allegedly pulled a gun.
A fourth suspect remains at large. @triblive.bsky.social
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The victim was punched 20–30 times, kicked as he lay on the ground in the fetal position — and 1 suspect allegedly pulled a gun.
A fourth suspect remains at large. @triblive.bsky.social
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February 18, 2026 at 11:04 PM
From #Pittsburgh police: 3 arrested in 'preplanned' Downtown beating near #Kaufmann’s clock.
The victim was punched 20–30 times, kicked as he lay on the ground in the fetal position — and 1 suspect allegedly pulled a gun.
A fourth suspect remains at large. @triblive.bsky.social
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The victim was punched 20–30 times, kicked as he lay on the ground in the fetal position — and 1 suspect allegedly pulled a gun.
A fourth suspect remains at large. @triblive.bsky.social
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PJ McArdle Roadway is shut down -- at least through rush hour -- after rocks fell from a #MtWashington hillside. No injuries reported.
Landslides have closed the #Pittsburgh road numerous times in recent years. The city is now assessing the slope. @triblive.bsky.social
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Landslides have closed the #Pittsburgh road numerous times in recent years. The city is now assessing the slope. @triblive.bsky.social
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February 18, 2026 at 5:54 PM
PJ McArdle Roadway is shut down -- at least through rush hour -- after rocks fell from a #MtWashington hillside. No injuries reported.
Landslides have closed the #Pittsburgh road numerous times in recent years. The city is now assessing the slope. @triblive.bsky.social
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Landslides have closed the #Pittsburgh road numerous times in recent years. The city is now assessing the slope. @triblive.bsky.social
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Police: #Wilkinsburg man held group at gunpoint in Duquesne home -- days after being released from jail.
Judge held 20 charges for trial; bail denied. @triblive.bsky.social
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Judge held 20 charges for trial; bail denied. @triblive.bsky.social
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February 18, 2026 at 5:15 PM
Police: #Wilkinsburg man held group at gunpoint in Duquesne home -- days after being released from jail.
Judge held 20 charges for trial; bail denied. @triblive.bsky.social
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Judge held 20 charges for trial; bail denied. @triblive.bsky.social
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Driver waives hearing, faces trial in fiery wrong-way crash on I-376.
@pastatepolice.bsky.social say the 23-year-old’s blood-alcohol was nearly twice the legal limit. One motorist suffered multiple broken bones. @triblive.bsky.social
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@pastatepolice.bsky.social say the 23-year-old’s blood-alcohol was nearly twice the legal limit. One motorist suffered multiple broken bones. @triblive.bsky.social
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February 17, 2026 at 11:53 PM
Driver waives hearing, faces trial in fiery wrong-way crash on I-376.
@pastatepolice.bsky.social say the 23-year-old’s blood-alcohol was nearly twice the legal limit. One motorist suffered multiple broken bones. @triblive.bsky.social
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@pastatepolice.bsky.social say the 23-year-old’s blood-alcohol was nearly twice the legal limit. One motorist suffered multiple broken bones. @triblive.bsky.social
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From electrifying campaign rallies to meetings at a #HillDistrict church, Rev. #JesseJackson left his mark on #Pittsburgh across 5 decades.
One retired officer remembers a more human moment: when Jackson tried to grab a slice of bacon — unsuccessfully.
@triblive.bsky.social
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One retired officer remembers a more human moment: when Jackson tried to grab a slice of bacon — unsuccessfully.
@triblive.bsky.social
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February 17, 2026 at 11:43 PM
From electrifying campaign rallies to meetings at a #HillDistrict church, Rev. #JesseJackson left his mark on #Pittsburgh across 5 decades.
One retired officer remembers a more human moment: when Jackson tried to grab a slice of bacon — unsuccessfully.
@triblive.bsky.social
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One retired officer remembers a more human moment: when Jackson tried to grab a slice of bacon — unsuccessfully.
@triblive.bsky.social
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Thunderous applause filled #Pittsburgh City Council chambers as Jason Lando — a 21-year #PittsburghPolice vet and #SquirrelHill native — took the oath as the city’s new police chief.
A childhood dream, 44 years in the making. @triblive.bsky.social
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A childhood dream, 44 years in the making. @triblive.bsky.social
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February 13, 2026 at 10:33 PM
Thunderous applause filled #Pittsburgh City Council chambers as Jason Lando — a 21-year #PittsburghPolice vet and #SquirrelHill native — took the oath as the city’s new police chief.
A childhood dream, 44 years in the making. @triblive.bsky.social
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A childhood dream, 44 years in the making. @triblive.bsky.social
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A weekend shooting in #McKeesRocks ended not with an arrest, but a fatal crash.
@alleghenycounty.bsky.social police say the suspect was found dead days after his car was discovered abandoned in Kennedy Township. @triblive.bsky.social
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@alleghenycounty.bsky.social police say the suspect was found dead days after his car was discovered abandoned in Kennedy Township. @triblive.bsky.social
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February 9, 2026 at 9:26 PM
A weekend shooting in #McKeesRocks ended not with an arrest, but a fatal crash.
@alleghenycounty.bsky.social police say the suspect was found dead days after his car was discovered abandoned in Kennedy Township. @triblive.bsky.social
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@alleghenycounty.bsky.social police say the suspect was found dead days after his car was discovered abandoned in Kennedy Township. @triblive.bsky.social
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- @alleghenycounty.bsky.social police say 8 teens stole 79 guns in 'smash-and-grab' break-ins at #Pittsburgh area gun shops — weapons later linked to multiple shootings, including the death of a 7-year-old boy on the North Side. @triblive.bsky.social
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February 5, 2026 at 8:30 PM
- @alleghenycounty.bsky.social police say 8 teens stole 79 guns in 'smash-and-grab' break-ins at #Pittsburgh area gun shops — weapons later linked to multiple shootings, including the death of a 7-year-old boy on the North Side. @triblive.bsky.social
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"She was a whole vibe."
An emerald gown. A confident walk. A rising career.
#Pittsburgh is mourning model Jacinta Stevens, remembered for her presence on the runway after a fatal crash into the Monongahela River. @triblive.bsky.social
🔗LINK IN COMMENTS
An emerald gown. A confident walk. A rising career.
#Pittsburgh is mourning model Jacinta Stevens, remembered for her presence on the runway after a fatal crash into the Monongahela River. @triblive.bsky.social
🔗LINK IN COMMENTS
February 5, 2026 at 2:56 PM
"She was a whole vibe."
An emerald gown. A confident walk. A rising career.
#Pittsburgh is mourning model Jacinta Stevens, remembered for her presence on the runway after a fatal crash into the Monongahela River. @triblive.bsky.social
🔗LINK IN COMMENTS
An emerald gown. A confident walk. A rising career.
#Pittsburgh is mourning model Jacinta Stevens, remembered for her presence on the runway after a fatal crash into the Monongahela River. @triblive.bsky.social
🔗LINK IN COMMENTS
“She was a whole vibe.”
#Pittsburgh's fashion community is mourning model Jacinta Stevens, remembered for her presence on the runway after her death in a crash into the Monongahela River. @triblive.bsky.social
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#Pittsburgh #PittsburghFashion #LocalNews
#Pittsburgh's fashion community is mourning model Jacinta Stevens, remembered for her presence on the runway after her death in a crash into the Monongahela River. @triblive.bsky.social
🔗LINK IN COMMENTS
#Pittsburgh #PittsburghFashion #LocalNews
February 5, 2026 at 2:23 AM
“She was a whole vibe.”
#Pittsburgh's fashion community is mourning model Jacinta Stevens, remembered for her presence on the runway after her death in a crash into the Monongahela River. @triblive.bsky.social
🔗LINK IN COMMENTS
#Pittsburgh #PittsburghFashion #LocalNews
#Pittsburgh's fashion community is mourning model Jacinta Stevens, remembered for her presence on the runway after her death in a crash into the Monongahela River. @triblive.bsky.social
🔗LINK IN COMMENTS
#Pittsburgh #PittsburghFashion #LocalNews
He arrived in #Pittsburgh with a backpack and a sketchbook — then a winter storm hit.
Drezon “Dre” Pankey’s story offers a window into how shelters across the region became lifelines as snow and extreme cold set in. @triblive.bsky.social
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Drezon “Dre” Pankey’s story offers a window into how shelters across the region became lifelines as snow and extreme cold set in. @triblive.bsky.social
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February 4, 2026 at 10:33 PM
He arrived in #Pittsburgh with a backpack and a sketchbook — then a winter storm hit.
Drezon “Dre” Pankey’s story offers a window into how shelters across the region became lifelines as snow and extreme cold set in. @triblive.bsky.social
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Drezon “Dre” Pankey’s story offers a window into how shelters across the region became lifelines as snow and extreme cold set in. @triblive.bsky.social
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Drezon “Dre” Pankey stepped off a #Greyhound bus
in Downtown #Pittsburgh with everything he owned on his back. Then a winter storm hit.
As extreme cold swept the region, area shelters filled, offering a lifeline for people experiencing homelessness.
@triblive.bsky.social
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in Downtown #Pittsburgh with everything he owned on his back. Then a winter storm hit.
As extreme cold swept the region, area shelters filled, offering a lifeline for people experiencing homelessness.
@triblive.bsky.social
LINK IN COMMENTS
February 4, 2026 at 11:54 AM
Drezon “Dre” Pankey stepped off a #Greyhound bus
in Downtown #Pittsburgh with everything he owned on his back. Then a winter storm hit.
As extreme cold swept the region, area shelters filled, offering a lifeline for people experiencing homelessness.
@triblive.bsky.social
LINK IN COMMENTS
in Downtown #Pittsburgh with everything he owned on his back. Then a winter storm hit.
As extreme cold swept the region, area shelters filled, offering a lifeline for people experiencing homelessness.
@triblive.bsky.social
LINK IN COMMENTS
A 21-year-old pedestrian struck by a @pghtransit.bsky.social bus in #Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood Monday is 'up and walking' and expected to be released from @news.upmc.com Presbyterian hospital Tuesday, officials said. @triblive.bsky.social
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February 3, 2026 at 10:41 PM
A 21-year-old pedestrian struck by a @pghtransit.bsky.social bus in #Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood Monday is 'up and walking' and expected to be released from @news.upmc.com Presbyterian hospital Tuesday, officials said. @triblive.bsky.social
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A 31-yr-old #Pittsburgh woman died after her SUV hit a snowbank and plunged 120 feet into the icy Monongahela River from the Parkway East.
Divers pulled Jacinta Stevens from the #Ford Explorer. She later died at a @upmc.com hospital. @triblive.bsky.social
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Divers pulled Jacinta Stevens from the #Ford Explorer. She later died at a @upmc.com hospital. @triblive.bsky.social
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January 30, 2026 at 9:01 PM
A 31-yr-old #Pittsburgh woman died after her SUV hit a snowbank and plunged 120 feet into the icy Monongahela River from the Parkway East.
Divers pulled Jacinta Stevens from the #Ford Explorer. She later died at a @upmc.com hospital. @triblive.bsky.social
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Divers pulled Jacinta Stevens from the #Ford Explorer. She later died at a @upmc.com hospital. @triblive.bsky.social
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Troy Rivetti, the prosecutor who helped convict the #Pittsburgh synagogue shooter, has been officially named U.S. Attorney for #WesternPennsylvania.
Rivetti has led major federal cases involving violent crime, drug trafficking and cyberstalking. @triblive.bsky.social
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Rivetti has led major federal cases involving violent crime, drug trafficking and cyberstalking. @triblive.bsky.social
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January 29, 2026 at 5:59 PM
Troy Rivetti, the prosecutor who helped convict the #Pittsburgh synagogue shooter, has been officially named U.S. Attorney for #WesternPennsylvania.
Rivetti has led major federal cases involving violent crime, drug trafficking and cyberstalking. @triblive.bsky.social
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Rivetti has led major federal cases involving violent crime, drug trafficking and cyberstalking. @triblive.bsky.social
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A Youth Advocate Program worker who had a sexual relationship with a 14-yr-old client has been sued in
@alleghenycounty.bsky.social.
Britta Emberg, now on probation after pleading guilty to sex assault charges, is accused of abuse over a 17-month period.
@triblive.bsky.social
📍 LINK IN COMMENTS
@alleghenycounty.bsky.social.
Britta Emberg, now on probation after pleading guilty to sex assault charges, is accused of abuse over a 17-month period.
@triblive.bsky.social
📍 LINK IN COMMENTS
January 27, 2026 at 10:03 PM
A Youth Advocate Program worker who had a sexual relationship with a 14-yr-old client has been sued in
@alleghenycounty.bsky.social.
Britta Emberg, now on probation after pleading guilty to sex assault charges, is accused of abuse over a 17-month period.
@triblive.bsky.social
📍 LINK IN COMMENTS
@alleghenycounty.bsky.social.
Britta Emberg, now on probation after pleading guilty to sex assault charges, is accused of abuse over a 17-month period.
@triblive.bsky.social
📍 LINK IN COMMENTS
🏥 Hundreds of doctors + nurses spent the night in #Pittsburgh area hospitals to ensure patients had care amid record-breaking snowfall.
In the meantime, both #AHN and @news.upmc.com say ERs remain fully staffed and operational. @triblive.bsky.social
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In the meantime, both #AHN and @news.upmc.com say ERs remain fully staffed and operational. @triblive.bsky.social
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January 26, 2026 at 1:55 AM
🏥 Hundreds of doctors + nurses spent the night in #Pittsburgh area hospitals to ensure patients had care amid record-breaking snowfall.
In the meantime, both #AHN and @news.upmc.com say ERs remain fully staffed and operational. @triblive.bsky.social
📍 LINK IN COMMENTS
In the meantime, both #AHN and @news.upmc.com say ERs remain fully staffed and operational. @triblive.bsky.social
📍 LINK IN COMMENTS
NEWS -- #PittsburghRegionalTransit suspended all bus and rail service Sunday due to heavy snow, worsening road conditions
Service is expected to resume Monday. Delays — especially for #ACCESS riders — are likely.
Westmoreland Transit also suspended routes. @triblive.bsky.social
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Service is expected to resume Monday. Delays — especially for #ACCESS riders — are likely.
Westmoreland Transit also suspended routes. @triblive.bsky.social
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January 25, 2026 at 11:40 PM
NEWS -- #PittsburghRegionalTransit suspended all bus and rail service Sunday due to heavy snow, worsening road conditions
Service is expected to resume Monday. Delays — especially for #ACCESS riders — are likely.
Westmoreland Transit also suspended routes. @triblive.bsky.social
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Service is expected to resume Monday. Delays — especially for #ACCESS riders — are likely.
Westmoreland Transit also suspended routes. @triblive.bsky.social
📍LINK IN COMMENTS
❄️ NEWS --- > #Pittsburgh smashed its Jan. 25 snowfall record before breakfast — with up to 14" still expected.
Schools are closed, stores shut down, and travel remains treacherous across the region. @triblive.bsky.social
⚠️ Wind chills tmw could hit -20°
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Schools are closed, stores shut down, and travel remains treacherous across the region. @triblive.bsky.social
⚠️ Wind chills tmw could hit -20°
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January 25, 2026 at 11:28 PM
❄️ NEWS --- > #Pittsburgh smashed its Jan. 25 snowfall record before breakfast — with up to 14" still expected.
Schools are closed, stores shut down, and travel remains treacherous across the region. @triblive.bsky.social
⚠️ Wind chills tmw could hit -20°
📍 LINK IN COMMENTS
Schools are closed, stores shut down, and travel remains treacherous across the region. @triblive.bsky.social
⚠️ Wind chills tmw could hit -20°
📍 LINK IN COMMENTS
Latest from #NationalWeatherService: Up to 14" of snow could blanket #Pittsburgh by Monday morning — the most the region's seen in 15 years.❄️
Heavy snow expected all day Sunday, with travel 'virtually impossible' at times, per forecasters. @triblive.bsky.social
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Heavy snow expected all day Sunday, with travel 'virtually impossible' at times, per forecasters. @triblive.bsky.social
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January 24, 2026 at 2:09 PM
Latest from #NationalWeatherService: Up to 14" of snow could blanket #Pittsburgh by Monday morning — the most the region's seen in 15 years.❄️
Heavy snow expected all day Sunday, with travel 'virtually impossible' at times, per forecasters. @triblive.bsky.social
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Heavy snow expected all day Sunday, with travel 'virtually impossible' at times, per forecasters. @triblive.bsky.social
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Nearly a year after Donald P. Miller, 59, died following a #ButlerCounty altercation, the @alleghenycounty.bsky.social Medical Examiner has ruled his death a homicide.
Cause of death: manual strangulation.
No charges have been filed. @triblive.bsky.social
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Cause of death: manual strangulation.
No charges have been filed. @triblive.bsky.social
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January 22, 2026 at 10:11 PM
Nearly a year after Donald P. Miller, 59, died following a #ButlerCounty altercation, the @alleghenycounty.bsky.social Medical Examiner has ruled his death a homicide.
Cause of death: manual strangulation.
No charges have been filed. @triblive.bsky.social
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Cause of death: manual strangulation.
No charges have been filed. @triblive.bsky.social
📍 LINK IN COMMENTS
A man who jumped into a river at #PointStatePark Wednesday had brought a stolen $30K harp with him, police say.
The harp was taken from a #BethelPark home. The man was hospitalized in stable condition. @triblive.bsky.social
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The harp was taken from a #BethelPark home. The man was hospitalized in stable condition. @triblive.bsky.social
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January 22, 2026 at 5:03 PM
A man who jumped into a river at #PointStatePark Wednesday had brought a stolen $30K harp with him, police say.
The harp was taken from a #BethelPark home. The man was hospitalized in stable condition. @triblive.bsky.social
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The harp was taken from a #BethelPark home. The man was hospitalized in stable condition. @triblive.bsky.social
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A #Waynesburg woman has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter after running a red light and fatally striking a motorcyclist in Downtown #Pittsburgh in 2024.
Amy Robinson, 47, faces up to 5 years in prison. Sentencing is set for April 15. @triblive.bsky.social
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Amy Robinson, 47, faces up to 5 years in prison. Sentencing is set for April 15. @triblive.bsky.social
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January 22, 2026 at 12:43 AM
A #Waynesburg woman has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter after running a red light and fatally striking a motorcyclist in Downtown #Pittsburgh in 2024.
Amy Robinson, 47, faces up to 5 years in prison. Sentencing is set for April 15. @triblive.bsky.social
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Amy Robinson, 47, faces up to 5 years in prison. Sentencing is set for April 15. @triblive.bsky.social
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A man was fatally stabbed Tuesday in a #Pittsburgh group home, two hours after police responded to a dispute there.
Eric Henderson, 44, was arrested Wednesday for killing his 62-yr-old roommate. @triblive.bsky.social
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Eric Henderson, 44, was arrested Wednesday for killing his 62-yr-old roommate. @triblive.bsky.social
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January 21, 2026 at 10:56 PM
A man was fatally stabbed Tuesday in a #Pittsburgh group home, two hours after police responded to a dispute there.
Eric Henderson, 44, was arrested Wednesday for killing his 62-yr-old roommate. @triblive.bsky.social
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Eric Henderson, 44, was arrested Wednesday for killing his 62-yr-old roommate. @triblive.bsky.social
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A man was found shot in the neck Wednesday inside a home on #Pittsburgh's East Hills Drive — in the same block where 3 of East Hills' 4 homicides in 2025 occurred.
No arrests yet. @triblive.bsky.social
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No arrests yet. @triblive.bsky.social
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January 21, 2026 at 4:55 PM
A man was found shot in the neck Wednesday inside a home on #Pittsburgh's East Hills Drive — in the same block where 3 of East Hills' 4 homicides in 2025 occurred.
No arrests yet. @triblive.bsky.social
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No arrests yet. @triblive.bsky.social
🔗 LINK IN COMMENTS