CeaseFirePA hosts vigil against gun violence at Sewickley United Methodist Church

Donna Hyatt remembered her grandson’s 2022 killing like it was yesterday.

Jorden Lee Puskar, 21, of Coraopolis, was fatally shot the early morning of Jan. 22 that year along the 100 block of Prospect Street.

Hyatt shared the story of her grandson’s murder during a vigil at Sewickley United Methodist Church on the evening of Dec. 16.

The event, designed to raise awareness about gun violence and promote possible solutions, was presented by CeaseFirePA.

Two Allegheny County detectives came to the door of Hyatt’s daughter at about 1:45 a.m. with life-shattering news.

“No mother, no grandmother, no family should ever experience that moment,” she said. “That was the night our lives split into before and after.”

Puskar was a 2019 graduate of Springdale High School, where he played tight end for the Dynamos football team.

Hyatt said Puskar had gone to visit a friend in Avalon the night he was killed. She said the murderer acted in a fit of jealous rage. Testimony in the case backed her statements.

In November 2023, Samuel Tolfa, 34, of Hopewell in Beaver County, agreed to plead guilty to second-degree murder and serve a mandatory prison term of life without parole in connection with the killing.

Puskar’s family created The Flashlight Foundation in his memory. Christened with the former football player’s nickname, the foundation helps families impacted by gun violence and supports multiple community efforts.

Hyatt, who was one of several speakers, talked about the importance of safely securing firearms in the home.

“Most people move through life believing gun violence is something distant,” Hyatt said. “A headline, a statistic, a tragedy that happens somewhere else to someone else’s family. We hear stories. Boy, we heard them a lot this weekend. We watch the news and think, ‘That could never happen here. Not in my neighborhood. Not in my world.’ But that illusion shatters the moment (tragedy) knocks on your door.”

Hyatt said talking about Puskar, helping people through the foundation and participating in vigils keeps her grandson’s memory alive.

“This was Jorden’s legacy,” she said. “I was not going to let his death be in vain, and I was determined that people would remember his name and that through his foundation we could help others.”

Annual vigil

CeaseFirePA annually puts on a vigil to remember those lost to gun violence. Organizers read the names of people killed in Allegheny County. People line up with small white electronic candles once a name is read. A chime also rings for each person. More than 50 people have died so far this year.

One of them was Deglin St. Clair, 18, of Larimer. He died at UPMC Mercy Hospital after being shot on June 18 in the 1700 block of Wilkinsburg’s Wesley Street shortly before 5:30 p.m.

Brittany Bova, a mental health service coordinator with Pittsburgh Public Schools, said she worked with St. Clair a few years ago.

Bova was at the vigil. She held a candle and became emotional when the young man’s name was read.

“He had the best smile,” said Bova, a Carnegie resident. “He could just walk in a room and it would light up. … He was going to go places. He was a bright young man with a great future ahead of him.”

Bova said she sat in on a roundtable discussion about gun violence prevention with CeaseFirePA a few years ago and has been involved ever since.

“I’ve lost a kid to gun violence each year for the last nine years,” Bova said. “(The subject) is very near and dear to my heart. There’s hope. I wish more local representatives were here. (Action) is what their community wants.

“People think gun violence is an inner-city crime. They don’t realize that when we secure our guns, those guns that aren’t secure and are stolen from communities, they end up in the streets (with) young men and women.”

Sewickley connection

Church board member Lynn Colosi, a survivor of a domestic gun incident, is one of CeaseFirePA’s Sewickley connections.

Colosi, who grew up in Baldwin and now lives in Sewickley, attended one of the gun protection group’s events last year shortly after retiring from government relations and lobbying for a Harrisburg firm.

She welcomed vigil attendees and shared a personal story later that evening.

While Colosi was in her teens, her parents were going through a divorce. One night, when they got into a heated argument, her mother grabbed her father’s gun and nearly fired it in defense.

While no shots were fired that night, the episode made a deep impression on Colosi, who was 15 at the time. Now 63, she advocates for comprehensive gun reform.

“It’s extremely personal to me,” she said. “How do you not do something for 48 years? That’s the sin of it, but I’m gaining courage about it and I wanted to serve and somehow to affect legislation.”

About 50 people attended the vigil, including the speakers.

“I expected more people (here) primarily because there’s a lot of ways this information has been pushed out,” Colosi said. “I know it’s a rough time of year, a week before Christmas. I’m sure that had something to do with it, (and) being in Sewickley. But it’s an important venue to have it because we need the politicians in this area to take notice.”

Colosi hopes more people become advocates pushing for reasonable gun control.

“Our advocacy isn’t trying to repeal the Second Amendment,” she said. “No one’s screwing with the Constitution. There are just ways to secure guns and make it safer.”

CeaseFirePA senior Southwestern Pennsylvania coordinator Beth Foringer recalled being questioned about the vigil’s location. She said it was important for the group to venture out into the suburbs.

“Why are you doing a gun violence vigil in Sewickley?” Foringer said. “Why not McKeesport? Why not McKees Rocks? Why not Clairton? Why not Braddock? We will. We do and we have. We haven’t been in Sewickley (often).

“Why we’re here today is because all of those communities that we talked about that are prone to community violence, prone to firearm homicide. Those lawmakers are already supportive of the policies that we’re advocating for. They are already supportive of the funding that we’re advocating for.”

Foringer said the goal is to make sure more people are having gun-violence prevention conversations.

Youth participation

Quaker Valley High School junior Jake Mangan, 17, of Sewickley, stood before vigil attendees and talked about how his school goes through active shooter drills and other safety measures.

He hopes one day those preparations will be a thing of the past.

“Working with CeaseFire, I’ve learned a lot more,” Jake said. “When I think of gun violence, I immediately go to school shootings. Learning more about this cause. Learning about domestic violence situations, the suicides, the home invasions, all that stuff was really eye-opening.

“I’m a big fan of common sense and I think it’s crazy that we face this problem when no other nations do and that our state, specifically, isn’t doing more. I’ve been extremely fortunate that I have not been directly impacted by gun violence.”

The district has at least one armed officer at each school and routinely has increased police presence during student arrival and dismissal.

Mangan said he feels safe in the district and that staffers are doing all they can for students, including providing mental health services.

Other vigil speakers included the Rev. Hannah Loughman, pastor of Sewickley United Methodist Church, who delivered a prayer and message of hope.

Rick Bigelow of South Pittsburgh Coalition for Peace played a video highlighting the difference his group has made since its formation years ago. He also stressed the need for partnerships and reaching young people.

A reception took place at the church after the vigil.

More information about CeaseFirePA is available at ceasefirepa.org.