Police on Wednesday arrested three of four suspects charged with punching and kicking a man dozens of times earlier this month while beating him in Downtown Pittsburgh near the landmark Kaufmann’s clock.
The three — Shakeem Griffey, 31, of Pittsburgh; Mateke Katzbeck, 26, of Pittsburgh; and Caleb Mitchell, 23, of Dravosburg — were lodged in the Allegheny County Jail, unable to post bond.
The fourth suspect, Karron Waller, 29, of Rankin, was not in custody as of late Wednesday afternoon.
Video surveillance showed the four arguing with the victim around 8 p.m. on Feb. 10, a Tuesday night, on Oliver Avenue, a criminal complaint in the case said.
A Pittsburgh police detective “was able to defuse the situation” and the individuals walked off in different directions, the complaint said.
But later, the four alleged attackers walked behind the victim near the intersection of Smithfield Street and Fifth Avenue, the complaint said.
Griffey pulled a gun from his waistband and pointed it at the victim, police said.
Police said Griffey started the attack. One of the men took “a fighting stance” and another started punching the victim. Police estimated one attacker struck the victim 20 to 30 times.
Once the victim fell to the ground in the fetal position, one of the attackers kicked him four or five times, the complaint said. An attacker then reached into the victim’s pocket, took out a tablet and spiked it like a football on the ground, according to police.
The group walked away before officers arrived.
The attack “seemed like a preplanned event, as the actors arrived together, attacked together and left together,” police said in the complaints against the suspects.
Arriving officers said the victim “was bleeding heavily from his nose and mouth,” the complaint said. He was “disoriented and irate.”
Parts of the incident were caught on city cameras, and staffers at the city’s Real Time Crime Center gave officers descriptions of the attackers, the complaint said. Officers found three of the suspects — Katzbeck, Mitchell and Waller — near the intersection of Wood Street and Sixth Avenue.
Police “positively identified” the three based on a still image from city cameras but later released them “due to the inability of the victim” to identify them, the complaint said.
The victim was “unable to go in depth” about the details of the attack, police said.
Police Monday charged all four suspects.
Griffey was charged with nine counts, including two counts of simple assault, two gun possession counts, and one count each of aggravated assault, simple assault and inciting a riot.
Waller, Katzbeck and Mitchell were each charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, inciting a riot and disorderly conduct.
Pittsburgh police arrested Griffey, Katzbeck and Mitchell Wednesday, court records show. None of their attorneys were listed in online records.
Pittsburgh police did not respond to a phone call or email Wednesday seeking comment.
