On June 25, 2023, at about 7 a.m., 32-year-old Dashawn L. Rankin was fatally shot while riding his bicycle on Federal Street near West North Avenue in Pittsburgh’s North Side. Witnesses and surveillance footage show Rankin had a brief verbal exchange with a man on foot, then rode away; moments later the man followed, produced a firearm, and shot Rankin once in the back. Emergency responders found him in critical condition and he died after being taken to a local hospital.

Surveillance from the area captured interactions before, during and after the shooting and was used to identify 56-year-old Medford Taylor. An arrest warrant was issued for Taylor on September 6, 2023, charging him with criminal homicide and firearms violations. Taylor was apprehended in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 18, 2024, and is undergoing extradition to Pittsburgh to face those charges. Reports note prior criminal convictions for Taylor, including a 2022 felony aggravated assault and earlier misdemeanor assault and terroristic threats, which relate to the firearms allegations.

Family members describe Rankin as a devoted father of three with a warm, helpful personality. The shooting has heightened community concern about daylight gun violence on the North Side. If anyone witnessed the events on Federal Street that morning or has additional information, please share what is known with investigators.