In the early hours of April 21, 2014, a police chase through the streets of Pittsburgh's Larimer neighborhood and into Wilkinsburg ended in the death of 29-year-old Adrian Williams. The male victim from Beechview was fatally shot six times by a Pittsburgh police officer. The events leading to his death began around 3:20 a.m. when police attempted to pull over Williams for a traffic violation.
A high-speed chase ensued, concluding when Williams' vehicle crashed on Trenton Avenue.
Following the crash, Williams exited his vehicle, allegedly with a handgun. A foot pursuit began through several backyards. Police stated that Williams was repeatedly ordered to drop his weapon but did not comply. The chase ended when Officer Christopher Kertis, who had also been involved in a prior arrest of Williams in 2012, fired his weapon multiple times. Williams was struck twice in the back of the shoulder, under his left arm, under and through his right arm, and once above his buttocks, and he died at the scene.
The officer involved in the shooting was identified as Christopher Kertis. Following the incident, he was placed on administrative duty, a standard procedure in officer-involved shootings. An investigation was conducted by the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office.
In June 2014, District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. announced that the shooting was justified. He stated that video evidence showed Williams had pointed a gun at Officer Kertis. Zappala explained that after being told to drop his gun, Williams tripped, rolled, and continued to point the weapon at the officer. Within a few seconds, Kertis fired the six shots that proved fatal. The district attorney's office passed the case file to the U.S. attorney's office for a federal review.
