On a Friday afternoon, August 20, 2021, the life of 20-year-old Kaliq Zion Allen Dade was cut short by gunfire in Pitcairn, Pennsylvania. Just after 1:30 p.m., police responded to reports of shots fired in the 100 block of Center Avenue. Upon arrival, they discovered Dade inside a vehicle, suffering from a gunshot wound. Paramedics rushed to save him, but he succumbed to his injuries while en route to the hospital.
A witness at the scene reported that the young man was getting into an Uber when he was shot.
The investigation into the shooting led Allegheny County police to identify four individuals they believe were responsible for Dade's death. Shortly after the incident, a police officer spotted a vehicle fleeing the scene. The car was stopped in the nearby community of Turtle Creek, and the driver, 18-year-old Jonathan Dawson of White Oak, was taken into custody as the sole occupant. Dawson was subsequently charged with criminal homicide and conspiracy. He was held in the Allegheny County Jail, and jury selection for his trial was scheduled to begin in January 2024.
Nearly two years later, in June 2023, a second suspect was arrested in connection with the homicide. Finel Javon Thompson, 21, was charged with criminal homicide, tampering with evidence, recklessly endangering another person, and firearms violations. At the time of these new charges, Thompson was already incarcerated at the Allegheny County Jail on unrelated matters. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to search for two other suspects they believe were involved in the fatal shooting.
