On a summer evening in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, a dispute escalated into a fatal encounter, claiming the life of Derek Anthony Mayo. The 38-year-old Black man from Parkesburg was shot and killed on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, in the 500 block of May Street. An autopsy later confirmed that Mayo died from a single gunshot wound to the chest, and his death was ruled a homicide.
The events leading to the shooting began as a scheduled pickup of a 12-year-old girl.
Mayo had accompanied his longtime girlfriend, Kelsay Love-Shellar, to the home of her ex-boyfriend, 34-year-old Kevin Morgan, who was the father of the child. An argument erupted between the two men as they stood near the back of Love-Shellar's car. Witnesses reported that the verbal dispute did not turn physical. Despite this, Morgan allegedly drew a firearm and shot Mayo once in the chest. At the time of the shooting, Mayo was unarmed.
Following the incident, Pottstown Police arrived to find Mayo lying on the ground next to the passenger side of a Kia Optima. He was transported to Pottstown Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Morgan, who had called 911 after the shooting, remained at the scene and was taken into custody. A search of his residence revealed five legally owned firearms.
Kevin Morgan was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, third-degree murder, possessing an instrument of crime, reckless endangerment of another person, and endangering the welfare of a child. He was remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility and held without bail, awaiting a preliminary hearing.
