A Pittsburgh man was sentenced Friday to serve the rest of his life in prison with no chance of parole for killing a teenager in the Strip District nearly five years ago.
Howard Hawkins, 50, was found guilty in November of first-degree murder for the Feb. 21, 2021, shooting death of Ahmir Tuli, 18, outside of his mother’s restaurant, Preeti’s Pitt, in the 2700 block of Penn Avenue.
Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Beth A. Lazzara imposed the mandatory penalty on Hawkins on Friday.
Tuli worked as a line cook at his mother’s restaurant. He was outside taking a break after 9 p.m. when, police said, Hawkins approached him and shot him once in the head.
Hawkins had been escorted out of the bar earlier that evening after arguing with another customer. Police said that, shortly before the shooting, city security cameras showed Hawkins approach Tuli and argue with him as well.