Gunman Enters Wilkinsburg Barber Shop, Kills Customer

WILKINSBURG, Pa. - THE PITTSBURGH CHANNEL.com

One person was shot to death inside a Wilkinsburg barber shop on Friday afternoon, while other customers scurried for safety.

The medical examiner identifies the victim as 33-year-old Lawrence Whitehead of Pittsburgh.

Whitehead was hit shortly after 1 p.m. at Ezell's Barber Shop on Montier Street, near Laketon Road.

"It appears that the shooter walked in broad daylight, in front of people, and just shot the victim in the head in front of four or five people, at least," said James Morton, assistant superintendent of Allegheny County police.

Two witnesses told WTAE Channel 4 Action News reporter Sheldon Ingram that the shooter wore a hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses as he came inside and told everyone to get down.

"Once he said that, I ducked behind my chair and I heard gunshots and took off," said Lamar Ezell, the shop's longtime owner, who was cutting someone's hair at the time.

As some people ran out a back door, the shooter targeted a person who was standing inside waiting for a haircut, witnesses said.

One man who was in the shop with his 10-year old son told Channel 4 Action News that the boy had to run past the victim's body on his way outside.

"I've been here for 13 years and I've never had anything like this happen," Ezell said. "I have families who come here, so it's rough and messed up that something like this could happen."

Police don't think it was a robbery attempt. Instead, the shooter may have had some sort of score to settle with his target.

"The victim had a lot of money in his pockets that fell to the floor when he was shot, and if the motive was robbery, the actor would have picked it up before he ran," Morton said.

No arrests have been made as police continue to investigate.

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