Pittsburgh man wanted in connection with Fourth of July double shooting

Pittsburgh police issued an arrest warrant for a North Side man wanted in connection with a July 4 shooting in which two people were wounded in Downtown’s Agnes R. Katz Plaza.

City police said Camerin Caldwell, 18, shot an 18-year-old man and 16-year-old boy shortly after 11 p.m. in the 700 block of Penn Avenue.

The man and boy were taken to local hospitals in critical condition in what Pittsburgh police Major Crimes Commander Victor Joseph called a “ridiculous act of senseless violence.”

Police said the 16-year-old suffered a gunshot wound to the head, and the 18-year-old man was shot six times in the body.

Investigators collected eight 9mm spent shell casings from the plaza, along with a 9mm Taurus pistol with an empty black magazine from an open dumpster in an alleyway nearby, according to a criminal complaint.

Police said the shooting was likely connected to fights earlier that night instigated by music from two opposing groups.

“The altercations stemmed from rap videos that were previously released in which one group would slander the other, and vice versa,” the criminal complaint said.

Police said one altercation took place in Point State Park near the end of a fireworks display, and the groups ran into each other again at the plaza later.

Police charged Caldwell with firearms violations and two counts each of attempted homicide, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment.

He is described as a black man with black hair and a stocky build standing 5 feet, 3 inches tall.

Police said Caldwell is known to frequent the North Side and Arlington areas and should be considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts should contact the city’s Violent Crimes Unit at 412-323-7161.