‘I wish I could unsee it’: Community reacts to deadly shooting of teen at McKees Rocks playground

MCKEES ROCKS, Pa. — Sto-Rox students are heartbroken after one of their classmates was shot and killed at a playground in McKees Rocks Saturday afternoon.

Allegheny County detectives said Ahsan Edwards, 15, was sitting at a picnic table, talking with his friends at Third Street Park when the shooter fired at him from outside the playground’s fence.

>> Teen dead after shooting at playground in McKees Rocks

Delores Docoteau lives across from the playground, which is just a few hundred yards away from a daycare.

“All I could hear was ‘Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop,’” said Docoteau.

Docoteau said she ran to the window when she heard the gunfire.

“I saw the little guy laying on the ground. His sisters were screaming that, ‘You just killed my brother,’” she said. “The gunman ran up Third Street.”

Police said Edwards was shot in the chest several times. He died at the hospital a short time later.

“I was just devastated. I was in shock. I’ve never seen or heard anything like this,” Docoteau said. “I wish I could unsee it and unhear it. It was just horrific. "

Sarah McCluan, spokesperson for Sto-Rox School District, said there is a lot of sadness and shock on campus, which is why they brought in three additional mental health professionals to help them heal. The high school also had two additional security guards to help make students feel safe.

“Our hearts and thoughts go out to the family of the student,” McCluan said. “He will be terribly missed. He was popular with his classmates, very well-liked and brought joy and happiness to students and staff.”

Sources tell Channel 11 that Edwards was a triplet.

The tragedy comes a few days after another shooting in the area. Last Tuesday, police said a man was wounded on Woodward Avenue.

On that same street last month, investigators said there was a shootout between officers and a 17-year-old.

Neighbors are tired of the gun violence.

“Our neighborhood is just heartbroken, and I don’t know what we can do to fix it,” Docoteau said.

There are no suspects in this case. County police are still investigating.

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