In the early morning hours of a late spring day, the quiet of a McCandless apartment complex was shattered by the sound of gunfire. On Saturday, May 27, 2023, 39-year-old Richard Coward was fatally shot in the 700 block of Nineteen North Drive. First responders arrived at the scene shortly after 7:00 a.m. to find Coward with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:18 a.m.
The male victim's death immediately launched a homicide investigation led by Allegheny County
Police, with assistance from McCandless police. The sudden violence left residents of the typically peaceful area shaken and searching for answers. Neighbors reported hearing the commotion and seeing the swift arrival of law enforcement and emergency medical services.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, another man was taken into custody at the scene. While authorities confirmed that a suspect had been arrested in connection with Richard Coward's death, his identity was not immediately released to the public. The relationship between Coward and the man taken into custody was also not disclosed in the initial reports.
As the investigation unfolded, police encouraged anyone with information regarding the shooting to come forward to assist them in piecing together the events that led to the tragic loss of life. The community was left to mourn the passing of Richard Coward while awaiting further details from law enforcement regarding the circumstances of his death and the identity of the individual apprehended at the scene.
