Wanted man falls through ceiling while trying to evade arrest in Pittsburgh, sheriff’s office says

PITTSBURGH — Detectives with the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office captured a wanted man after he fell through the ceiling of a home in Pittsburgh’s Marshall-Shadeland neighborhood Wednesday.

The arrest of David Smith, 45, who’s been on the run for more than a year, was caught on a doorbell ring video. The video shows Smith in handcuffs being led by deputies to an unmarked police car around 8:40 a.m.

Channel 11 showed the video to a woman who lives across the street from where the arrest went down. She didn’t want to be identified.

“It’s just... I’m just in shock,” she said. “Like, what the heck? A fugitive on this street?”

The sheriff’s office said Smith was hiding from police in a home on Sorento Street. He was finally caught after he crashed through a bedroom ceiling.

“I just heard about this incident today,” said Muhammad Asgher who lives nearby. “The guy, he hiding himself inside the other people’s home and the cops come and catch him. That’s really nice.”

According to the sheriff’s office, detectives were searching a woman’s home who claimed she didn’t know where he was. They checked a bedroom closet that led to the attic when suddenly, Smith’s foot fell through. Seconds later, the ceiling gave way and Smith was arrested.

“I didn’t hear too much,” the neighbor said. “I was asleep when this all went down. That’s crazy.”

Smith, who used to live in McKees Rocks, was wanted for probation violations in both Pennsylvania and Delaware after pleading guilty to gun and drug charges in February 2023.

“That’s insane,” the neighbor said. “There’s a lot of kids around here, a lot going on, so that’s kind of scary.”

Smith’s last address was in Delaware where he has an active bench warrant for an unrelated probation violation.

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