In the pre-dawn darkness of a Pittsburgh morning, a sequence of events unfolded that would end in the tragic death of 41-year-old Bradford McCary. It was shortly after 1 a.m. on Tuesday, March 2, 2021, when emergency responders were called to the scene of a crash near Station Square. A Jeep had collided with a pole at the American Natural gas station located at the intersection of East Carson Street and Arlington Avenue.
Upon their arrival, officers discovered McCary inside the vehicle,
suffering from a critical injury. An off-duty firefighter was already at the scene, administering CPR in an effort to save his life. McCary, a resident of Wilkinsburg, was quickly transported to UPMC Mercy Hospital. At the hospital, the full extent of the situation became tragically clear; Bradford McCary had sustained a fatal gunshot wound and was pronounced dead.
The investigation into the incident revealed that the Jeep McCary was driving had been struck by bullets. Investigators noted a bullet hole in the windshield and the rear driver's side window had been shot out, indicating that McCary had been shot prior to the crash. Despite the clear evidence of a homicide, the exact location where the shooting occurred remained unknown in the initial stages of the investigation. In the days following the incident, authorities had not yet identified any suspects, and no arrests had been made.
