Tip Leads To Arrest In Old Waterfront Robbery/Shooting Death

WEST HOMESTEAD, Pa. - THE PITTSBURGH CHANNEL.com

After more than a year, police got a tip that helped them find a man suspected of shooting and killing a Damon's Grill restaurant worker in a robbery at the Homestead Waterfront.

The victim -- Brian Lee, 19 -- was shot while helping a manager close the restaurant on West Waterfront Drive in July 2008, Allegheny County police said.

"In the last couple of weeks, we received a tip, and that tip led us in a direction, and that direction panned out with the arrest," Lt. Bill Palmer said.

Brandon Jeffrey Johnson, 21, was arrested at about 10 p.m. Saturday in McKeesport. He is charged with homicide, aggravated assault, robbery and a firearms violation.

The county's homicide unit had worked with both the West Homestead and Homestead police departments for over a year, waiting for a break like that.

"It was not an agreement (with an informant). It came out of the blue, and again, it led us in a direction, and much work had to be done after that tip was received," Palmer said.

Lee's family has not commented on the arrest. They sued Damon's and the developers of the Waterfront earlier this year, charging that they were negligent in Lee's death by not providing enough security.

Previous Stories:

• January 23, 2009:Waterfront Damon's Restaurant Sued Over Fatal Shooting
• January 6, 2009:Security Cameras To Keep Eye On Waterfront Shopping Plaza
• July 17, 2008:Waterfront Shooting Deaths Prompt Beefed-Up Security
• July 14, 2008:Waterfront Restaurant Worker Dies In Apparent Robbery Attempt

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