A nearly two-year search for a suspect in a deadly Braddock shooting has ended in Trafford. Authorities say a 20-year-old man accused in a 2024 killing that left a 16-year-old dead was arrested Wednesday after investigators tracked him to a residence, where they recovered what police described as an AR-style pistol, ammunition and multiple magazines.
According to CBS Pittsburgh, Allegheny County police took Darien Wallace into custody around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at a home on West Inwood Road in Trafford. Wallace had been wanted in connection with a double shooting on Margaretta Street in Braddock on April 1, 2024, that killed 16-year-old Jeramyah Pollard and wounded another teen.
Arrest Ends Two-Year Search
In the months after the shooting, family members and neighbors in Braddock plastered flyers around the community and held vigils while pressing investigators for progress. As WPXI reported, Jeramyah’s mother described her son as “JJ was an awesome kid,” and relatives publicly vowed they would not stop pushing for justice until someone was brought in.
What Police Say Happened
Investigators say the violence started with an earlier altercation at a nearby park, after which several people went to a home on Moody Street. Police allege Wallace left that residence with a handgun, chased the group and opened fire on Margaretta Street. As the case unfolded, investigators recovered an AR-style pistol, ammunition and multiple magazines that they linked to the shooting. Authorities say Wallace has been charged in the case and was taken to the Allegheny County Jail, where he is awaiting a preliminary arraignment, according to CBS Pittsburgh.
Community Context
Pollard’s killing became one more entry in a painful tally of shootings that have hit the Woodland Hills area and surrounding neighborhoods in recent years, affecting students and families across the district. Local coverage has tracked multiple fatal and nonfatal shootings involving Woodland Hills students during the 2023–24 school year, adding fuel to community grief and calls for change. Post-Gazette reporting lays out that wider backdrop.
What Authorities Are Asking
Police are again urging anyone with information about the 2024 shooting to talk to investigators rather than trying to confront possible suspects or witnesses themselves. As WPXI noted, county investigators have used the tip line 1-833-ALL-TIPS to collect leads, and they say anyone who spots suspicious activity should call 911 immediately.
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