Shootings leave 1 dead, 3 injured

Violence occurred near IUP festivities

INDIANA, Pa. — Authorities said the hundreds of partygoers at Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s student-organized St. Patrick’s Day celebration Friday night and early Saturday were largely respectful and did not cause any major problems. But just outside the festivities, there was no cause for celebration.

Two separate shootings, leaving one man dead, three others injured and two men in jail, occurred in less than an hour about a mile-and-a-half apart in Indiana Borough. No IUP students were involved in either of the incidents, officials said, and the shootings did not appear to be related to the IUPatty’s festivities, which brings an influx of visitors to the campus.

“We have planned for weeks and months and several years how to handle these types of events,” said Indiana County District Attorney Patrick Dougherty. “And the training and the plan unfortunately had to be utilized, but it was utilized in a very efficient and effective manner.”

The shooting that resulted in a fatality — the second shooting early Saturday — occurred about 1:39 a.m. in the 1100 block

of Oakland Avenue.

Police said Matthew McNevin, 20, of Indiana shot Carlos “Edu” Recalde, 21, and Samantha Riley, 20, both of Indiana. Mr. Recalde died shortly after 6 a.m. at UPMC Presbyterian in Pittsburgh. Ms. Riley was critically injured and flown to Conemaugh Hospital.

“The investigation revealed that Recalde was involved in an incident last week in which he committed a theft from this morning’s shooter,” said Indiana police Chief William Sutton.

Mr. McNevin was placed in the county jail without bond. A preliminary hearing was set for April 10.

IUP junior Chantel Glasser, 21, said she went to Marion Center High School with both of the victims and the shooter, and it was “totally shocking” to find out “that someone from the local area would have been involved in something like this.”

She described Mr. Recalde as “really upbeat. He was really athletic. I remember him running track … .”

Ms. Riley, she remembered, “wanted to be involved in different things, [and was] friends with a lot of different people.”

She said she didn’t know Mr. McNevin as well because he was younger.

Police responded to the first shooting Saturday when they received a call for shots fired about 12:53 a.m. near the intersection of Philadelphia and 12th streets.

Police said Thomas Stanko, 21, an Army private from Fort Campbell, Ky., who was in town for the celebration, was walking with his friend, Julian Cole, 21, when they were approached by three men.

An argument ensued between one of the men and Mr. Cole, when Mr. Stanko drew a pistol from his jacket, fired two warning shots into the air, then two or three more shots at the men, according to a police affidavit.

One of the men who had confronted Mr. Stanko and Mr. Cole was shot in the thigh and foot, police said. He was taken to Conemaugh Hospital.

Police said one of Mr. Stanko’s shots hit his friend, Mr. Cole, in the forearm. Mr. Stanko’s attorney, however, disputes that claim.

“It’s our belief that [the shot] came from the men they encountered and one of them shot Mr. Cole,” attorney Phil DiLucente said.

Mr. DiLucente said he believes that there were more than three men in the group that confronted his client and Mr. Cole — as many as six men — but several ran away after the shooting. He also said Mr. Stanko was acting in self-defense and was licensed to carry.

“It’s our position that he was attacked, he and his friend,” Mr. DiLucente said. “They were both afraid of serious bodily injury or death.”

Mr. Stanko was lodged in the Indiana County Jail on $200,000 bond. He faces a preliminary hearing April 10.

Jim Tyger, 55, who lives near the scene on South 12th Street, said the shooting “terrified” his 10-year-old daughter, who was still awake. Saturday morning, he had to explain to his three children what had happened.

“This wasn’t the kind of discussion I wanted to have with them this morning on why they needed to stay inside and what that red stuff was all over the place,” Mr. Tyger said.

The shootings didn’t stop the party at IUP. By Saturday afternoon, hundreds of green-clad students and visitors walked the streets going to festivities throughout the campus and borough.

Even though violence occurred near the campus, students said they felt safe. Students blamed the violence on people from the outside who don’t feel any responsibility for what happens on the campus or nearby.

“This place with the students here is fine,” said sophomore Jeff Lawrence, 19. “But weekends like this is when it becomes a problem.”