Westmoreland

Man charged in North Belle Vernon shooting botched by thrown soda can takes plea deal

Rich Cholodofsky
By Rich Cholodofsky
1 Min Read Aug. 23, 2024 | 1 year Ago
Go Ad-Free today

An attempted homicide charge was dismissed against a Rostraver man accused of firing a shot in the parking lot of a North Belle Vernon gas station.

Amire Rodrick Ganoung, 20, pleaded guilty Friday to felony counts of aggravated assault and possessing a firearm without a license and a misdemeanor charge of simple assault in connection with the March 1, 2023, incident. Police said no one was injured as a result of Ganoung’s actions. A charge of reckless endangerment also was dismissed as part of the plea deal with Westmoreland County prosecutors.

Ganoung and a juvenile confronted a person inside an adjacent convenience store, where they engaged in name calling before the altercation moved outside, police said. Ganoung pulled out a gun, pointed the weapon and as he fired one time, his shoulder was struck by a soda can thrown by the other individual, causing the round to miss its target.

Police said both Ganoung and a 17-year-old juvenile who was charged as an adult with conspiracy, fled the scene and were later apprehended.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani sentenced Ganoung, who has been in custody since his arrest, to serve four to eight years in prison.

The juvenile remains free on bail and his case is pending, according to court records.

Share

Categories:

Tags:

About the Writers

Rich Cholodofsky is a TribLive reporter covering Westmoreland County government, politics and courts. He can be reached at rcholodofsky@triblive.com.

Push Notifications

Get news alerts first, right in your browser.

Enable Notifications

Content you may have missed

Enjoy TribLIVE, Uninterrupted.

Support our journalism and get an ad-free experience on all your devices.

  • TribLIVE AdFree Monthly

    • Unlimited ad-free articles
    • Pay just $4.99 for your first month
  • TribLIVE AdFree Annually BEST VALUE

    • Unlimited ad-free articles
    • Billed annually, $49.99 for the first year
    • Save 50% on your first year
Get Ad-Free Access Now View other subscription options