Arrest made in fatal shooting
BROWNSVILLE – A Brownsville man was charged with homicide in the shooting death early Tuesday of a Republic man during a disturbance at a housing project in the borough.
District Judge Mike Defino Jr. sent Jamal Dewayne Brown, 20, of 403 Green St., to Fayette County jail without bond Tuesday afternoon on charges that also include four counts each of aggravated assault and reckless endangerment, court records show.
State police accused Brown of shooting Taekwon Commodore, 28, in the rear shoulder area shortly after midnight when he and another group of people were arguing in Snowden Terrace, which is just off Clover Street.
During the altercation, Brown allegedly pulled out a handgun and fired it into the air, prompting Commodore and three of his friends to scatter between buildings. Police said Brown then turned his weapon on Commodore.
Police were initially called to the area at 12:13 a.m. to investigate a burglary at 407 Clover St., but troopers found no evidence of a crime having occurred there after they arrived at the scene, the affidavit supporting the charges against Brown indicate.
Troopers received a second call at 12:49 a.m. regarding a person being shot at Snowden Terrace who was taken in a private vehicle to the Brownsville Police Department. Commodore was taken from there by ambulance to Uniontown Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The other members of Commodore’s group identified Brown as the person who fired the handgun at their friend, police said.
Brown is scheduled to appear before Defino for a preliminary hearing at 1:30 p.m. July 20.