Boy, 15, charged as adult in North Braddock drive-by shooting

Police on Tuesday charged a 15-year-old boy as an adult in a drive-by shooting that critically injured a man in North Braddock.

Corey Mickens, who turned 15 less than two months ago, is accused of shooting a 21-year-old man at least twice on Saturday night, a criminal complaint filed by Allegheny County Police shows.

The shooting victim, whom police did not identify, pegged Mickens as the boy who shot him after reviewing a photo array provided by police, the complaint said.

Around 11:30 p.m. Saturday, North Braddock police responded to a report of shots fired near Hawkins Avenue after receiving several 911 calls about gunshots and a man yelling, “Help me!”

Investigators determined that the 21-year-old man was shot on Hawkins Avenue and then ran to Lobinger Avenue, where he was found, the complaint said.

Paramedics took the shooting victim to UPMC Presbyterian hospital, where he was initially listed in critical condition. He was released and home by Monday, according to the complaint.

Police did not identify the victim in the complaint, which cited the need to protect the “safety of that witness and preserve the integrity of future investigations.”

The man who was shot told police he was walking along Hawkins Avenue toward a friend’s house when he saw what looked like a light-colored, boxy car drive slowly by, then leave.

Soon after, the same car returned and pulled within about five feet of him, the complaint said.

The man told police he saw someone in the front passenger seat who looked like a teenager wearing a black skull cap stick his head out of the car’s sunroof and fire at least three shots, striking the victim at least twice, the complaint said.

Officers and detectives found three shell casings in the area from three different guns, the complaint said.

On Monday, police interviewed the victim and asked him to review eight photos, including one of Mickens and seven others of people with similar physical characteristics that “appeared young in age,” the complaint said. Police told the victim that the suspected shooter may or may not appear in the photo array.

The victim selected the photo of Mickens and wrote below it, “This is the person who shot me,” the complaint said.

Mickens faces felony charges of aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person.

Police have not released a possible motivation for the shooting.