On a Saturday night in Pittsburgh's South Side Flats, a dispute outside of a local skate shop tragically escalated, ending the life of 29-year-old Adam Cloud of New Kensington. The incident occurred on March 19, 2022, around 10:30 p.m. in the 1000 block of Freyburg Street. Responding to the scene, police discovered Cloud with gunshot wounds to his chest; he was pronounced dead at the location.
The shooting reportedly stemmed from an altercation that began outside the OneUp Skate Shop.
The investigation into the death of the male victim led authorities to identify Zahvair Palmer, then 22, of McKeesport, as the primary suspect. An arrest warrant was issued for Palmer, charging him with criminal homicide, robbery, and weapons violations. The search for Palmer concluded nearly two months after the shooting when police located him at an apartment in Homewood. A standoff with police, including a SWAT team, ensued for several hours before Palmer was taken into custody.
Zahvair Palmer was subsequently brought to trial for his role in Adam Cloud's death. Prosecutors pursued a first-degree murder charge against him. Following a nonjury trial, an Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge found Palmer guilty of third-degree murder and two firearms counts. He was, however, found not guilty on a robbery charge. Palmer's sentencing was scheduled for a later date.
