Man arrested, charged after Saturday shooting in Oakland

Carlow University police have arrested and charged a man involved in a shooting in Oakland Saturday.

Police arrested Jamone L. Watson, 21, Saturday at about 4:30 p.m. after a Carlow police officer heard him fire a gun and run down Chesterfield Road toward Fifth Avenue, according to a police report. Police charged Watson with carrying a firearm without a permit, recklessly endangering another person, running from the police and disorderly conduct, the report shows.

According to the police report, Carlow officer Christopher Laird was on patrol near Terrace Avenue and heard Watson fire four shots while running up Terrace toward Chesterfield Road Saturday.

Laird followed Watson in his patrol car, then stopped his vehicle, got out, pulled out his firearm and ordered Watson to stop running and to drop his weapon, the report said. Watson did not stop and Laird got back into his patrol vehicle and proceeded to chase Watson down Chesterfield Road and onto Fifth Avenue in front of Curran Hall on Carlow’s campus, the report said.

Laird wrote in his report that he lost Watson on Fifth Avenue when he tried to cut him off in traffic. After searching up Carlow’s main driveway, Dunsieth Street, Laird went back to Curran Hall where he last saw Watson.

According to the report, pedestrians there told Laird that Watson had run across Fifth Avenue and a handgun was in a flower pot in front of Curran Hall. Laird reported that he found a 1911 Smith and Wesson .45 caliber handgun, similar to the one he saw Watson carrying, in the flower pot.

Pedestrians also told Laird that they had seen Watson running toward the Arby’s on Forbes Avenue, which is several blocks from Curran Hall, the report said. Pitt police apprehended and arrested Watson there several minutes later.

After he was arrested, police took Watson to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital to treat a cut on his left eye, the report said. There, Watson received sutures for his wound and agreed to cheek swab for a DNA test.

At the hospital, Watson declined to speak with two detectives from the city of Pittsburgh’s Gang Task Force about the case, according to the report.

Later, in an interview at the Carlow police department, Watson admitted to police that he ran from them but that he was only holding a cell phone and did not have a gun, the report said. Otherwise, Watson chose to remain silent on his charges, according to the report.

Watson is currently being held in Allegheny County Jail because he was unable to post bail. His preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 10. at 8 a.m.