Charges filed, more details released in shooting incident

Jamont Minnie is charged after a woman was shot in the wrist when a bar fight spilled outside last week.

Details surrounding a shooting in Monessen last week that resulted in a woman suffering arm injuries were released over the weekend.

City police charged Jamont Anthony Minnie, 34, with criminal attempt homicide, aggravated assault – attempt to cause significant bodily injury with extreme indifference, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of an instrument of a crime, possession of a weapon, recklessly endangering another person, simple assault and disorderly conduct, court records state. The charges were filed Sunday.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Monessen police and the Westmoreland County Detective Bureau responded around 1:30 a.m. Thursday to an incident outside a private club at 938 Knox Ave. involving a 22-year-old female with a gunshot wound to the wrist.

Witnesses said several people got into a fight inside the club that spilled outside after the bartender kicked them out, according to the criminal complaint. Three gunshots were fired outside. One witness said a man nicknamed “Cheezy” shot the gun, the affidavit states.

According to court documents, a shell casing and a gun holster were found in an empty white Chevrolet Malibu parked on Knox Avenue near 10th Street. A telephone pole next to the car had an unspent bullet next to it, and a purse and keys were located on the sidewalk.

In surveillance footage, two people, who were later identified as Minnie and another man who has not been charged, were seen by the car. Several people are shown running from inside the bar to the car. An altercation occurs, a gun is fired and everyone scatters, the affidavit states.

Pools of blood were coming from the side entrances of the club, court records state, as well as a trail of blood going toward neighboring streets.

Later that day, Minnie called police to report his vehicle and gun were both stolen.

Police said the vehicle and gun are both registered to Minnie, who has a valid concealed carry permit through Westmoreland County, according to the criminal complaint.

When police asked details about where the car or gun was when it was stolen, he became “hesitant” and stated that the car was in the general area of 10th Street and Knox Avenue, the affidavit states.

The vehicle was towed from the scene. Armed with a search warrant for the car, police said they seized a gun holster as well as ammunition matching the spent and unspent rounds found at the scene of the shooting.

After being released from the hospital, the shooting victim went to the police station Friday to give a statement.

She stated she was inside the club with friends when a fight broke out. She went outside with her friends and heard someone arguing about family outside of the bar while they were standing in the middle of the intersection of 10th Street and Knox Avenue.

She told police she saw Minnie lift up his shirt during the altercation and pull out a gun as she was running back toward the bar. That’s when she was shot, the affidavit states. The woman told police she was picked up and put into a vehicle to go to the hospital, with Minnie and the other man he was with both allegedly in the car.

The victim told police Minnie’s relative sent her a message through Facebook saying Minnie was worried about her, and that the gun accidentally went off when it was dropped. The victim responded that was incorrect because she saw him pull out the gun and shoot, court records state.

The victim was flown from Penn Highlands Mon Valley to Allegheny General Hospital, where she was treated for a broken arm from the shooting. She told police she still has bullet fragments in her arm/wrist that will require further surgery.

Charges against Minnie were filed Sunday at the office of Magisterial District Judge Wayne Vlasic. A preliminary hearing for Minnie has not been set.