2 women killed in North Side shooting were innocent bystanders, police say; 3rd victim ID'd

A 33-year-old mother of four was among three people killed Saturday night when a gas-station parking lot argument escalated into an exchange of gunfire.

Jacquelyn Mehalic was on her way to work as a waitress around 10 p.m. Saturday when gunfire broke out in the 300 and 400 blocks of Cedar Avenue near Allegheny Commons in Pittsburgh’s North Side, her father, John Mehalic, told the Trib.

“She was a very positive, outgoing person. She’d lend a hand to anyone,” said a distraught John Mehalic, who lives near Latrobe. “You hear about shootings in Pittsburgh all the time, and you never expect to get the call.”

Jacquelyn Mehalic grew up on a 55-acre farm near Latrobe and graduated from Indiana Area Senior High School after attending high school in Latrobe, her father said. In addition to waitressing, John Mehalic’s only child also worked in hair and nails, he said.

The scene of the shooting, between an Elks lodge and a Sunoco gas station, was quiet Monday afternoon, with members of the Neighborhood Resilience Project, clad in bright-orange vests, talking with the few area residents about the shooting.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified a second victim as Betty J. Averytt, 59, whose address was unknown. Averytt, an innocent bystander, was believed to have been caught in cross-fire while in a nearby bus shelter.

A third victim was identified as John Hornezes, 20, a North Side resident.

Pittsburgh police and city officials pleaded with residents Monday to share information that could lead to the arrest of two people involved in the deadly shooting.

“We need us to come together, the entire city, to deal with this violence,” Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey pleaded during a Monday news conference. “We will continue to do what’s necessary to keep the streets safe.”

Gainey called the incident a “senseless shooting.” No arrests have been made.

Police in the North Side said they have been trying to address street violence. Zone 1 Cmdr. Shawn Malloy said his officers have made nearly 90 arrests since the summer and confiscated 16 firearms off the streets. They met as recently as last week with representatives from the Elks, whose lodge sits on Cedar Avenue across the street from a playground and empty community swimming pool.

Major crimes Cmdr. Richard Ford would not speculate on the identity of the gunmen but did stress the majority of homicides within city limits could be attributed to “repeat offenders.”

“The amount of people we see that fall into that category, it’s alarming,” Ford told reporters.

Ford was among several public safety officials who expressed frustration with the criminal justice system Monday, calling out the district attorney’s office and local judges, as well as witnesses in the community who do not come forward with information about shootings such as these.

“This is not just a police issue; this is a community issue. It falls into everyone’s hands,” Ford said. “A lot of people who direct their angst toward us need to look in the mirror. … We are not the catch-all.”