1 of 2 victims in Lawrenceville shooting dies; gas station clerk charged

A 22-year-old convenience store clerk is accused of shooting two people at the A-Plus Sunoco gas station in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood early Saturday morning, one of whom later died, according to police.

Pittsburgh police charged Randell Antonio Tate, of Pittsburgh, with homicide and aggravated assault.

Tate was denied bail at an arraignment Sunday and is being held in the Allegheny County Jail, according to court records.

Police identified the shooting victims as males but did not disclose their ages in a criminal complaint against Tate. One, identified as victim 2, was said to have been shot four times in the chest and back and died from his injuries; the other, victim 1, was shot in the foot and was in stable condition.

The shooting at the gas station at 51st and Butler streets was reported at around 3:30 a.m.

According to a criminal complaint, victim 1 told police he knows Tate’s sisters and wanted an apology from Tate for an incident that occurred with them. The male said he never threatened Tate.

Tate, who waived his Miranda rights, told police that victim 1 was present in an attempted sexual assault of his sister about 18 months ago, the complaint states. After leaving the store and returning with the second male, Tate said victim 1 wanted an apology for Tate putting his name on the street about the incident with his sister.

Tate said he apologized but the male threatened him, the complaint states.

The incident was captured on the store’s surveillance cameras. In the video, Tate, the lone clerk, is seen talking with both males standing in the open bulletproof glass door to the cashier station. The conversation appears to escalate, with victim 1 propping the glass door open.

Both males follow Tate as he retreats into the cashier’s station. Tate is seen drawing a pistol from his waistband and opening fire at both males, who flee out of the cashier’s station, past the secure bulletproof door and into the store. Tate pursues them, past the secure door, continuing to fire at them to the front door of the store.

Victim 2 is seen crawling on the cement outside the front door. A “burst of energy” from a bullet striking the cement/victim is seen as he is trying to escape, the complaint states. The male gets into a vehicle at the gas pumps and taken to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Victim 1 fled on foot and was picked up by someone on a motorcycle, who took him to UPMC Children’s, the complaint states.

A Glock 40 registered to Tate was found in the store’s office, with two bullets standing upright next to it and two magazines, one fully loaded and the other empty, the complaint states. Police said Tate has a valid concealed carry permit and is allowed to possess a firearm.

Tate told police he was worried that the males were armed, but said he never saw a weapon on either, according to the complaint.

Tate said he opened fire because the station owner locks an emergency exit door and he had no way out. Tate said he stopped firing after seeing victim 2 fall down outside of the store, after which he went back inside and called 911, according to the complaint.

In the criminal complaint, police reported finding spent bullets, jacket fragments and spent 40-caliber casings inside and outside the store. There was also a trail of blood from the front door to the gas pumps.

Tate did not have an attorney listed in court records. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 13.