Arnold 16-year-old identified as person killed in New Kensington shootout

A 16-year-old from Arnold died in an exchange of gunfire Sunday in New Kensington, Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli’s office revealed Monday.

Divine Warner died at a nearby hospital.

According to Ziccarelli’s office, Warner was shot outside, near Valley Royal Court, in an exchange of gunfire with Dylan Walmsley, 19, of South Greensburg.

The shooting was reported just after noon near a playground about a half-block away from the city’s police department and city hall.

Walmsley was shot in the abdomen but is expected to survive, Ziccarelli’s office said.

Warner was a student at Valley High School in the New Kensington-­Arnold School District, Superintendent Chris Sefcheck said.

“The faculty, staff and administration of the New Kensington-Arnold School District are deeply saddened by the news of Divine Warner’s passing. The high school had grief counselors available for our students in need,” Sefcheck said in a statement. “As a district, we must focus on providing a high-quality learning environment that teaches kindness is a strength and violence is destructive. Our community cannot stand to lose another promising future.”

Sefcheck said the district is not releasing any other comments about Warner.

Walmsley’s criminal record includes charges filed by Monessen and South Greensburg police and Westmoreland County Park Police between July and November 2022, when he was 18.

According to court records, Walmsley plead guilty in separate cases in March to charges of criminal mischief and terroristic threats filed by Monessen police. He was sentenced to up to one year probation for the criminal mischief plea; in the other case, he served four days in jail on a sentence of a minimum of three days and a maximum of 23 months.

Walmsley still was awaiting trial on charges of resisting arrest, evading arrest on foot and criminal mischief filed in November by South Greensburg police, and on charges of simple assault and harassment filed in July by Westmoreland County Park Police.

Valley Royal Court was where Jason Raiford, 39, was fatally shot in July. Seven teens are charged in his death, an encounter which prosecutors said was related to drug debts.

New Kensington City Clerk Dennis Scarpiniti said his office does not have statistics regarding problems at the apartment complex.

According to Westmoreland County property records, Valley Royal Court was sold in December for $3 million. The new owner is Valley Royal Court Apts., a limited liability company registered in Delaware.

A representative of the new owners could not be reached for comment Monday.

Scarpiniti said the city has “reached out to the new owners to work together on issues that arise at the apartment complex in the future.”

The District Attorney’s Office said investigators confirmed Sunday’s shooting was an isolated incident and that there is no further threat to the public.

What instigated the shooting was not disclosed.

Police continue to investigate. Anyone with information is asked to call New Kensington police at 724-339-7534.