Man pleads guilty to aggravated assault in 2022 North Side shooting that left 3 dead

A man involved in a 2022 shootout between rival gangs on the North Side that left three people dead pleaded guilty Monday to aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy.

Charron Troutman, 21, of Pittsburgh, will spend at least eight years in state prison as part of the plea agreement. He also pleaded guilty to firearms charges and multiple counts of reckless endangerment.

In exchange, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office withdrew a count of attempted homicide.

The Oct. 15, 2022, shooting precipitated additional violence between the gangs — the Brighton Place Crips and a hybrid group known as the Commons — including a shooting two weeks later outside the funeral for one of the homicide victims.

Deputy District Attorney Emma Schoedel told Common Pleas Judge Bruce Beemer that Troutman was the front-seat passenger in a Hyundai Tucson that traveled to the Sunoco gas station on Cedar Avenue on the North Side that night around 9:36 p.m.

Video surveillance showed that Troutman and a woman in the car entered the gas station, bought food and returned to their vehicle.

A short time later, a white Hyundai Palisade arrived.

Police said Jaylone Hines got out of the Palisade and approached the gas pumps where the Tucson was parked, and Troutman showed Hines a gun.

Hines got back in the Palisade, left the gas station, ran a stop sign and drove to Allegheny Commons, Schoedel said. There, he got out and spoke to the group gathered there.

Hines then ran across West Park — adjacent to Allegheny Commons — and returned to the Sunoco, where he positioned himself two pumps away in a standoff with Troutman, Schoedel said.

About a minute later, Hines walked back to the park, and the Tucson left the Sunoco, headed toward the park, as well.

As the Tucson approached, Schoedel said, gunfire erupted from the park, which was returned by the people in the Tucson, including Troutman, who fired from the window and over the roof.

John Hornezes, who was with Hines, was killed.

Two women, characterized by police as innocent bystanders at a nearby bus stop, also were killed.

Hines, who was shot in the leg, is charged in the women’s deaths and is scheduled for trial in January.

Troutman originally was charged with criminal homicide for Hornezes’ death, but that count was withdrawn in January 2023 when prosecutors learned that, given the trajectory of the shots, it would not have been possible for Troutman to have killed Hornezes.

“While the evidence does not support that Charron Troutman killed Mr. Hornezes, the evidence does support that the defendant was shooting in his direction,” Schoedel said.

Two weeks later, during funeral services for Hornezes, five people were shot outside the Destiny of Faith Church in the 3700 block of Brighton Road just after noon.

At least 20 rounds were fired near the church by multiple shooters.

Two people have been charged in that case. Hezekiah Nixon and Shawn Davis are scheduled for trial Sept. 2.

During Monday’s hearing, Tamika Hornezes told the court that her 20-year-old son had a gentle spirit and was respectful. He had just become a father eight months before the shooting, she said.

“If he loved you, you knew it,” she said.

Tamika Hornezes told Beemer that she was happy someone will be held accountable in her son’s death.

“My son never hurt anyone,” she said. “My son was a victim that day.”