On a crisp September evening that was meant for youthful fun and manufactured frights, real-life tragedy struck at the Haunted Hills Hayride in North Versailles. On September 11, 2021, 15-year-old Steven Eason, a male student from Central Catholic High School, was fatally shot while attempting to de-escalate a confrontation. Another teenager was also wounded in the incident, which occurred around 8:15 p.m.
during the opening night of the popular Halloween attraction.
Steven, who was at the hayride with friends, noticed an acquaintance involved in an argument and intervened in an attempt to help. It was then that a young man, described as a Black male between 15 and 17 years old with a slender build, produced a handgun and fired multiple shots. Steven was struck and later pronounced dead at a hospital from gunshot wounds. He was remembered by his school as a dedicated student and a talented member of the track team.
In the years that have followed, Steven's mother, Shantel Pizaro, has continued to seek justice for her son. The case remains unsolved, with no arrests having been made. Police believe there were between 50 and 100 people in the immediate vicinity of the shooting and have appealed for witnesses to come forward with any information or cellphone video that could help identify the person responsible for Steven's death. The family has expressed their profound grief and the ongoing pain of knowing that the individual who took their son's life is still at large. They have organized events, such as a memorial basketball tournament, to honor Steven's memory and to keep his case in the public eye, hoping that someone with knowledge of the events of that tragic night will finally come forward.
