Waynesburg man charged with attempted homicide
A Waynesburg man was charged with attempted homicide after he allegedly shot a man Saturday night at a party in a wooded area of German Township, Fayette County.
Belmont Franklin Forsythe, 17, of 967 Whites Ridge Road, is alleged to have shot James Renox, 23, with a .38-caliber revolver three times in the arms at 11 p.m. at a bonfire in an area off the Leckrone-Masontown Road, state police said.
Renox told police Forsythe arrived at the party with a small handgun in his front pocket. Renox said one of his friends asked Forsythe to put the gun away and leave the party.
Forsythe refused and a fight ensued between Forsythe and Renox’s friend. When Renox attempted to break up the fight, Forsythe shot him in both arms, according to the criminal complaint.
Renox was taken to Uniontown Hospital for treatment. No information on his condition was available Monday.
Forsythe was charged as an adult.
He was arraigned before District Judge Mike Defino Jr. of Brownsville on charges of attempt homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault receiving stolen property and firearms not to be carried without a license.
Forsythe told state police he went to parties at this location in the past and knew fights sometimes took place. He said he decided to take a gun from his father’s residence prior to leaving for the party.
He said he had the gun in his front pocket when two males he was unfamiliar with aproached him as if they were going to start a fight because he had the gun.
Forsythe said he began to fight with one and when they fell to the ground the other kicked him in the head. He said he then took the revolver out and fired three shots at one of the males.
He told police he heard someone yelling, “Oh my God, you shot him,” and he ran from the scene. Forsythe said he was afraid of going to jail. He indicated that he drank a dozen cans of beer at the party and made a mistake taking the gun there and shooting someone, according to the complaint.
Forsythe said he dropped three spent shell casings on Leckrone Highhouse Road. He said he was attempting to climb over a wall near the office of Magisterial District Judge Abrahams in Masontown when he dropped the gun.
It was later found by state police on the sidewalk outside of Abraham’s office. They entered its serial number into the National Crime Information Center database. According to NCIC, the revolver used in the shooting had been reported stolen in Morgantown, W.Va. Forsythe was placed in the Fayette County jail in lieu of bond.