Wilkinsburg Mourns the Loss of 18-Year-Old Deglin St. Clair in Deadly Shooting; Community Reels from Another Tragic Act of Gun Violence
WILKINSBURG, PA — A somber pall hangs over the Wilkinsburg community following the tragic death of 18-year-old Deglin St. Clair, who was fatally shot Wednesday evening, June 18, 2025. The young man, a resident of Pittsburgh’s Larimer neighborhood, was gunned down on Wesley Street, in an incident that has left residents shaken and reignited calls for answers and action against senseless violence.
According to the Allegheny County Police Department, dispatchers received reports of a shooting just before 5:30 p.m. in the 1300 block of Wesley Street, near the intersection with Labelle Street. When first responders arrived on the scene, they discovered a young man suffering from a gunshot wound to the stomach. He was found on a porch, still conscious, pleading for help.
“Please help me, I don’t want to die,” he reportedly told officers, as they rushed to provide first aid. Wilkinsburg police officers moved him to the lawn and attempted to stop the bleeding.
St. Clair was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. His death adds to the mounting toll of youth lost to gun violence in Allegheny County — a toll that continues to devastate families and communities alike.
“A War Zone in Our Own Backyard”
Several neighbors reported hearing a series of at least five gunshots. One resident, Michael Worthy, told KDKA-TV that he believed it was an exchange of gunfire involving different caliber weapons. The chaos that followed echoed the deep trauma already embedded in the neighborhood.
“Exchange of gunfire — big caliber versus small caliber — then heard scuffling through the street… and someone hollering,” Worthy said.
Worthy and his wife, Lois, live nearby and witnessed the crime scene unfold. Their pain, however, is layered — they are still grieving the loss of their daughter, 26-year-old Taylor Hall, who was shot and killed in February in Pittsburgh’s Sheraden neighborhood. Hall, a mother of two young children, was another life cut short by gunfire, and her case, like so many others, remains unsolved.
“I was just hoping it wasn’t like my daughter,” Worthy added. “Hopefully he made it. My daughter didn’t make it. We don’t need another person shot for no apparent reason.”
The couple said their hearts broke as they watched St. Clair fighting for his life.
Investigation Ongoing, No Arrests Made
Allegheny County Police say they are continuing their investigation and are asking for the public’s help. They are specifically seeking information about a woman in a yellow shirt who was seen in the area around the time of the shooting. Authorities clarified that the woman is not considered a suspect, but they believe she may have seen something that could assist the investigation.
At this time, no arrests have been made, and police have not released a description of any suspect or vehicle connected to the case.
The Allegheny County Police Homicide Unit is leading the investigation, and anyone with information is encouraged to call the county tip line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Tips can be submitted anonymously.
Remembering Deglin St. Clair
Deglin St. Clair was described by community members as a young man with his whole life ahead of him. At just 18 years old, his death has left friends, neighbors, and family struggling to understand the tragedy of yet another young Black life lost to violence.
As the crime scene tape comes down and the news crews move on, the pain lingers. For families like the St. Clairs and the Worthys, the grief is lifelong — a wound that never fully heals.
“It’s just another senseless Black killing, that’s what I feel happened to my daughter,” Michael Worthy told KDKA. “It’s over what? Whatever it is, just live another day. Walk away. It doesn’t mean anything. What are you shooting somebody for?”
His words echo the collective frustration of a community longing for peace — and for justice.
If you or someone you know has information about the shooting death of Deglin St. Clair, please call the Allegheny County Police Tip Line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS (1-833-255-8477).
Let us remember Deglin not just as a victim, but as a son, a neighbor, a young man whose life should have been defined by his dreams — not by the bullet that ended them.