Police arrest man accused of fatally shooting 25-year-old man outside Clairton house

Police arrested a man accused of shooting and killing another man Tuesday morning outside a Clairton house, officials said.

Gerald Johnson, 28, is behind bars at Allegheny County Jail awaiting arraignment, Allegheny County Police Inspector Andrew Schurman said shortly before 5 p.m.

Johnson faces a homicide charge in the shooting death of Joseph Perlick-Spernak, 25, of Clairton shortly before 5 p.m.

Shortly before 8 a.m., Clairton police officers and medics responded to 911 calls about a shooting in the 600 block of Constitution Circle, Schurman said. They arrived to find the 25-year-old man with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The initial investigation indicates that Johnson was a guest of a woman at the house when the shooting victim arrived, Schurman said.

“The victim entered the house, discovered the other male and began physically fighting with him,” Schurman said. “That male had a firearm, and during the fight chased the victim outside, where he shot him.”

Johnson remained at the residence after the incident. He was taken into custody by the responding Clairton officers.

Officials did not provide further details.

Allegheny County homicide detectives continue to investigate.