27-year-old man shot, killed inside home in Penn Hills

PENN HILLS, Pa. — Allegheny County police are investigating after a man was shot and killed in Penn Hills.

People who live there said the neighborhood is so quiet that they had no idea the incident happened until they watched the news on TV.

“I had just woke up and my daughter had called me and she said — ‘Are you alright?’ I said ‘ya, honey. Why?’ And she says ‘cause I got it on the news,’” said Dorian Smith of Penn Hills.

Dorian Smith, like the vast majority of his neighbors, slept through the police activity and homicide investigation that were steps away from his Crescent Pines Drive home.

“I didn’t even know that a guy got killed and they still looking for someone,” said Smith.

Channel 11 was there as Allegheny County police shut down the Penn Hills street overnight.

They were called to the residential neighborhood just before 2 a.m. Tuesday.

When the police moved in, they found 27-year-old Shawn Brookins shot to death inside of his house.

His family is now sharing deeply personal photos of Brookins with Channel 11, and cherishing the time they spent together.

His sister said that Brookins was the best father, uncle and brother anybody could ask for.

She said that his young daughter, Arabella, was his entire life.

Everything he did was for her.

He lived in the Penn Hills home with his long-term girlfriend and Arabella for the last few years.

“My heart goes out to the family. Ya know, they seem pretty nice. I see the kids up and down the street,” said Smith.

Smith said that Brookins’ shooting death is highly concerning in his tight-knit and peaceful neighborhood.

He said that in his four years living there, he had never so much as seen a police car on the street.

Tonight, he’s sending out a message of healing and hope to the family.

“It’s heartbreaking. I knows it’s like I said, all we can do is keep ‘em in prayer. If there’s anything I can do for them, I’ll help ‘em out as much as I can,” said Smith.

Police have not released any information about a possible suspect.

Anyone with information is asked to call the County Police Tip Line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS.

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