Police: Gun found under Antwon Rose's seat was stolen in Rankin

A handgun found in the car from which Antwon Rose II ran before an East Pittsburgh police officer shot and killed him was stolen, according to investigators.

The gun was originally reported stolen out of Monroeville, but county police later determined it was stolen in Rankin, Allegheny County police Inspector Andrew Schurman wrote in an email to the Tribune-Review.

It was one of two guns recovered from the Chevy Cruze suspected to be involved in a June 19, 2018, drive-by shooting in North Braddock. Former East Pittsburgh officer Michael Rosfeld stopped the car. Rose and Zaijuan Hester, both passengers in the car, ran. Rosfeld shot and killed Rose.

A jury acquitted Rosfeld of homicide in March after a four-day trial.

During the investigation that followed both shootings, police found two guns in the car, according to a criminal complaint filed in the case.

There was a 9mm Glock model 26 pistol under the the front passenger seat. It was loaded with a 17-round magazine that contained 16 rounds. Police said they found an empty magazine in Rose’s pocket that matched the 9mm pistol found in the car used in the drive-by shooting.

A witness who lived near where the police-involved shooting happened told investigators that Rose got out of the front passenger seat and put his hands on the roof of the car before turning to run away.

The other gun was a .40-caliber Glock 22 pistol that was found under the rear portion of the front passenger seat with a live round in the chamber and an extended magazine with 18 rounds.

Shell casings found at the scene of the North Braddock drive-by matched the .40-caliber Glock 22 pistol, police said.

Hester, who was 17 at the time of the crime, pleaded guilty to charges related to the drive-by shooting in North Braddock.

Rosfeld’s defense attorney, Patrick Thomassey, wanted to bring up details surrounding the stolen 9mm pistol during Rosfeld’s trial, including allegations that Rose stole the weapon during a robbery.

Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Alexander Bicket said details of the alleged robbery would not be allowed during trial unless he said otherwise.

Schurman did not offer any other details including when or where the gun was stolen. He also did not answer questions such as who owned the gun or if Hester or Rose were ever considered as suspects for the theft.

Monroeville police Chief Doug Cole said a report of a “lost or misplaced” 9mm Glock came to his department on June 20, a day after the shooting of Rose. He declined to offer additional details because he said the document could still be involved in an investigation.

“I don’t want to talk about how (the gun) was stolen,” Cole said.

When asked for a copy of the original report, Cole deferred to the Allegheny County Police Department because it handled the investigation that followed the shootings.

Schurman declined to release the document without providing a reason.