Man’s self-defense killing of teen leads to probation
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A Penn Hills man who, police said, killed a 16-yearold in self-defense pleaded guilty Wednesday to carrying a gun on school property.
Nicholas I. Knight, 23, will serve three years of probation. He also pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence before Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge David R. Cashman.
Police said Mr. Knight went to Linton Middle School in Penn Hills on March 28, 2017, to play basketball with three friends. After Mr. Knight parked and one of his friends got out of his car, they said, Deven Holloway, 16, got into the back seat to rob him.
Witnesses said Deven pulled a handgun and pointed it at the passengers and said, “Give me everything you got.”
The men tried to reason with him, but Deven struck Mr. Knight in the head with the gun, then jumped out of the vehicle and fired a single shot into the back door.
Mr. Knight, who had a permit to carry a weapon and no criminal record, then fired at Deven before driving away. Police said Mr. Knight got rid of a spent casing on the hood of the car but was otherwise cleared of any wrongdoing in the shooting in November.
“My client was defending himself that day,” said his attorney, Phil DiLucente. “Had he not had the gun that day on school grounds, he would be the person who passed.”
Deven’s mother, Danielle Robinson, gave a victim-impact statement, telling the court how much she and her other sons miss Deven.
“He was like any other teenager — just trying to find his way,” she said.
Ms. Robinson spoke harshly to Mr Knight.
“I just hope you feel this pain that I feel for the rest of your life for the slap on the wrist you’re about to get for taking my son,” she said. “He didn’t deserve to die. He wasn’t a bad kid.” Mr. Knight apologized. “My actions that day were never intended to do anything like that.”