An argument that ensued over a man putting garbage from his pickup into an apartment building’s dumpster led to a shooting in Shaler on April 2, according to Allegheny County Police.
County police filed charges April 7 against Nicholas Scott Johnson, 32, of Penn Hills. An arrest warrant was active.
According to a criminal complaint, a man, who was not identified in Johnson’s arrest papers, fired one shot at Johnson in self-defense.
The incident happened around 5:40 p.m. April 2 in the 1400 block of Mt. Royal Boulevard.
Shaler police identified Johnson from his driver’s license.
According to the complaint, the man was in his apartment when he heard loud music coming from a vehicle. He saw Johnson standing in the bed of his pickup parked near the apartment’s dumpster, putting garbage from his truck into it.
When the man yelled to Johnson that the dumpster was not public and he needed to stop, Johnson at first ignored him and continued emptying his truck, the complaint states.
An argument between the two ensued when the man stepped onto the steps just outside his door and again told Johnson to stop.
As the man turned to go back into his apartment, Johnson charged at him, the complaint states. The man went inside and tried to shut the door, but as he turned to pull the door shut, Johnson was on top of him and forced him inside the apartment.
Johnson punched the man multiple times in the head and neck, the complaint states.
When Johnson stopped attacking the man, stood up and turned to leave, he saw that the man also stood up. Johnson again turned and charged at him, raising his arm as though to hit him again, the complaint states.
The man reached into his front waistband, where he had a holstered .380-caliber pistol, pulled it out and fired once at Johnson, grazing his stomach and striking him in the forearm.
Johnson fled the apartment and walked to the back of a neighboring home and sat in a patio chair.
The unidentified man called 911 and asked for police and an ambulance, the complaint states.
Both men were taken to hospitals, Johnson for a gunshot wound and the other man for injuries to his neck.
Johnson is charged with felony aggravated assault and burglary, misdemeanor simple assault and summary harassment.