16-year-old Monessen boy charged as adult in fatal November shooting of another teen

A 16-year-old Monessen boy has been charged as an adult in the fatal shooting last month of another Monessen teen.

Terry Newton is charged with criminal homicide in the death of Amari Altomore, 16, Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli announced Thursday.

Newton, who was not in custody as of Thursday afternoon, also is charged by Westmoreland County Detective Nicholas Caesar with possession of a firearm by a minor.

County investigators assisted Monessen police, who responded to a report of a shooting shortly before 8:15 p.m. on Nov. 29 at 649 S. 14th St.

Officers found the victim, later identified as Altomore, lying on the porch of a nearby residence in the 1200 block of Reservoir Street, according to a criminal complaint filed by Caesar before District Judge Wayne Vlasic in Monessen.

Altomore was suffering from an apparent gunshot to the chest and died of the wound the following day, after he was taken to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Caesar said.

He said surveillance video showed Altomore bent over and holding his abdomen as he left the home on 14th Street and made his way to Reservoir Street.

Caesar later interviewed Newton’s mother about the events on Nov. 29. According to the complaint, she told the detective that her son and Altomore were playing video games in her son’s second-floor bedroom at her 14th Street home when she heard the boys “playing around making a great deal of noise.”

She said she then heard a “pop sound,” and her son ran down the steps yelling that the victim was “hit,” according to Caesar. He said the defendant’s mother indicated Altomore was shot when he also emerged from second floor.

Surveillance footage showed Newton fleeing from the rear of the home following the shooting, Caesar said.

Altomore was a junior at Monessen High School, where he was a member of the school’s football team.