Neighbors describe helping elderly woman shot in Unity domestic, standoff incident

A 59-year-old man accused of shooting his 80-year-old mother surrendered after an hours-long standoff with authorities Saturday in Unity.

State police charged David Andrew Rebar Jr. with aggravated assault, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person, according to court records.

The woman, who was shot in an arm, was being treated at a hospital with injuries that are not life-threatening, according to Trooper Cliff Greenfield, a state police spokesman.

The incident began mid-to-late Saturday morning at a home in the 5200 block of Center Drive in the Lawson Heights neighborhood, where Rebar lives with his mother, Greenfield said.

What Rebar and his mother were arguing over is under investigation. After being shot, the woman fled to a neighbor’s home, Greenfield said.

Next-door neighbors Tony and Denise Rich said Rebar’s mother had rung their doorbell so many times Denise thought it was her grandson playing a joke. Tony opened the door and found the woman lying on his porch, bleeding badly from her right arm and saying her son had shot her.

It appeared a bullet had entered her lower arm and exited farther up.

“I got her in the house as fast as possible and tried to calm her down,” he said.

Rebar had moved back to the area from out-of-state following a divorce, Denise Rich said. While they didn’t know what Rebar and his mother were arguing about that led to the shooting, she believed he may have been distraught after recently losing his job. His father, David Rebar Sr., died five years ago.

While Denise Rich called 911, Tony Rich called his sister, Teresa Walker, who lives across the street, to come over and administer first aid.

Walker, who was trained in first aid at her job, said she left her home and came across the street without thinking of the potential danger.

“My first response was to come and help,” she said.

Walker said she saw a trail of blood through her brother’s home.

“There was just a lot of blood,” she said.

She said she kept pressure on the woman’s wound and had to wash her hands several times because there was so much blood.

“She was very shook up and very upset,” said Walker, adding that they prayed together. “She calmed down some and then the EMS came.”

Nobody else was inside the house with Rebar, Greenfield said.

As state police began establishing a perimeter around the house, Rebar fired several shots inside the home, none of which exited the building, Greenfield said.

“Out of extreme precaution, we asked neighbors to stay inside their homes out of concern for their safety,” he said.

Walker said she and her brother and sister-in-law followed police orders and stayed on the far side of the house and away from windows for more than five hours.

“We were in the dark just hoping and praying everything would be OK,” Walker said.

While Rebar did not fire at police and police did not discharge their weapons, Greenfield said at one point a trooper believed he had briefly seen a rifle barrel protruding through a window.

“That was the extent of our observation of the gentleman inside the home,” Greenfield said.

Authorities were not able to establish communication with Rebar, Greenfield said.

As authorities began moving armored equipment into the yard, Rebar came out with his hands up and surrendered.

Rebar was carrying a pistol when he was taken into custody, state police said. Teresa Walker’s husband, Mike Walker, was still at his home directly across the street. Mike said he saw Rebar come out with that the gun on his hip.

“We’re thankful that it is resolved. It was resolved peacefully,” Greenfield said.

Rebar was arraigned by New Kensington District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr. Sunday morning, according to court records. He was denied bail and sent to the Westmoreland County jail, where he will undergo a mental health evaluation. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 9.

Denise Rich said she was shocked over what had happened in their neighborhood.

“You hear about it every day,” she said. “But you don’t expect it to be right next door and someone you know.”

Brian C. Rittmeyer and Quincey Reese are TribLive staff writers. Brian can be reached at brittmeyer@triblive.com. Reach Quincey at qreese@triblive.com.