On April 1, 2024, 16-year-old Jeramyah Jerome Pollard of North Braddock was shot and killed around 7:50 p.m. near Margaretta and Pitcairn streets in Braddock. Allegheny County Police say a large fight involving numerous juveniles escalated; another teenager was also shot and taken to a local hospital in stable condition.

Authorities identified 18-year-old Darien Wallace of Braddock as the primary suspect. Witnesses described an earlier altercation at a park, then some people going to a Moody Street residence. Wallace allegedly left that home armed with a handgun, pursued the group and shot Jeramyah and the other victim on Margaretta Street. Charges filed included criminal homicide, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment; Wallace was at large and considered armed and dangerous when those charges were announced.

Jeramyah, a 10th-grade student at Woodland Hills High School, was remembered by family as a wonderful kid who loved rapping and his family. The community held a balloon release at the shooting site and the school district increased police and security presence after noting this was the third district student shot on Margaretta Street within a year. If anyone has information about Wallace’s whereabouts or the shooting, contact the Allegheny County Police tip line.