Wilkinsburg shooting victim dies 11 days later; suspect now charged with homicide
A man who was shot Dec. 6 in Wilkinsburg has died.
Sirdorian Turner, 54, of Wilkinsburg, was taken to UPMC Presbyterian hospital after he was shot in the 700 block of Wood Street, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Initially in critical condition, he was pronounced dead early Friday of a gunshot wound to the head. His death has been ruled a homicide by the medical examiner.
Montrez Blanks, 32, of Pittsburgh’s Uptown neighborhood, already was charged by Allegheny County Police with attempted homicide in the shooting.
He was arrested Tuesday after a “brief scuffle” with police, who surrounded his vehicle at his workplace about a half-mile from the scene of the shooting.
Also charged with aggravated assault and firearms violations, he was placed in the Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh without bail.
According to court documents, police on Friday filed a charge of homicide and an additional firearms charge against Blanks.
He was awaiting a preliminary hearing.
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.
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