Judge says Rialto gunfight 'terrorized the entire community' as he gives shooters prison sentences

A gunfight after a confrontation outside a Greensburg bar could have been averted if either man would have just left the area, a judge said Thursday.

“This conduct is the kind of thing that terrorized the entire community,” Common Pleas Judge Christopher Feliciani said.

He sentenced the men involved in the shooting to serve up to 10 years in prison for their roles in the Jan. 31, 2022, shootout outside the Rialto Bar & Bistro on West Otterman Street. The incident left two injured and glass from the Westmoreland County Courthouse elevated walkway shattered on Pennsylvania Avenue below.

Evan Curley, 25, of Greensburg and Stevin German, 28, formerly of Uniontown, pleaded guilty in August to charges of aggravated assault and reckless endangerment.

Both were sentenced to serve at least 40 months in prison.

Police said Curley and German were patrons at the Rialto when a disagreement between the two men reached a tipping point. Both left the bar, went to their vehicles to retrieve guns and returned to the Rialto, where they continued their dispute and exchanged gunfire on Pennsylvania Avenue, according to investigators.

German fired eight shots, two of which hit Curley in the leg, police said. A bystander was shot one time in the buttocks.

Both men, in separate sentencing hearings, apologized for their actions. German told the judge he is not a violent person and has made peace with Curley.

Curley said he did not intend for anyone to be shot.

Their lawyers argued for mitigated sentences.

Assistant Public Defender John Sweeney described the shooting as poor judgment.

“Since they’ve been at the jail, he’s (German) been on speaking terms with Mr. Curley. Perhaps, at a different time, they would be friends,” Sweeney said.

Brent McCune, Curley’s lawyer, said his client is a victim of the shooting and did not initiate the violence that night.

“It’s not who he is. He never did anything like this before and will never do this again. There are mitigated circumstances,” McCune said.

Prosecutors disagreed and said both men’s actions warrant identical sentences.

“They had every opportunity to leave, and they did, but for a different purpose. They left to retrieve their guns,” Assistant District Attorney Jim Lazar said. “They appear to be kindred spirits. If either of them felt in danger, they should have left, but neither of them did. They wanted to show their bravado, so they came back and opened fire on each other on a crowded street.”

Lazar disputed the defense attorneys’ efforts to differentiate and mitigate the actions of Curley and German.

“The only real difference that night is that one of them was a better shot,” Lazar said.

The Rialto has been closed since last November, after another incident resulted in one man being stabbed outside the bar.

In that case, prosecutors charged Anthony J. Sharp with attempted homicide, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment. Sharp, 22, of Jeannette was released from jail and placed on house arrest to await trial after he posted a $250,000 bond.

Meanwhile, the Rialto building was sold to Greensburg restaurateurs Rich and Danielle Butcher, who said they plan to open a gastropub at the location.