Morning Roundup: Beryl's weather likely to miss W.Pa.; man found critically injured in Downtown Pittsburgh

Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, July 10:

Remnants of Hurricane Beryl likely to miss Western Pa.

Damage related to the remnants of Hurricane Beryl is expected miss the Pittsburgh region.

The most severe threats, including the potential of tornadoes and damaging winds, will be to the north and east of the area, said David Shallenberger, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Moon.

Locally, there is a chance of showers and thunderstorms to develop, he said. If that does happen, it likely will be between 1 and 6 p.m.

The heat is expected to continue Wednesday with a high temperature around 90 degrees.

The hurricane hit islands in the Caribbean before barreling into Texas earlier this week.

Man found critical condition in Downtown Pittsburgh

A man found injured Downtown early Wednesday was taken to a hospital in critical condition, according to Pittsburgh police.

The man was unresponsive when emergency responders arrived at Cherry Way and First Avenue around 3 a.m. He had severe head injuries. Police were reviewing surveillance video in the area.

Pittsburgh police this week rolled out a new patrol to augment the force’s presence in the central business district after three alarming assaults and what authorities described as a recent uptick in crime and disorderly activity. The normal Downtown contingent of 20 officers will be joined by up to 10 more pulled from various other units.

The extra officers will be spread among daylight and overnight shifts seven days a week.

Each night from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., one marked vehicle with either one or two officers will patrol the central business district with its red and blue lights flashing at all times, said Cmdr. Tim Novosel, who runs the Zone 2 station, which covers Downtown.

Stabbing reported in Hill District

A man was taken to a hospital for treatment of a stab wound Wednesday around 1:45 a.m. Pittsburgh police said the man was found in a parking lot on Devilliers Street with a wound to his abdomen. He was uncooperative with investigators who were trying to determine where he was hurt.

He was in stable condition.

Shooting under investigation in Aliquippa

A shooting was reported in Aliquippa around 5 a.m. Wednesday, according to TribLive news partner WTAE.

Emergency dispatchers confirmed one person was taken to a hospital from the scene on Irwin Avenue.

Thefts from vehicles reported in two communities

Carnegie police reported apprehending two people early Tuesday who were seen rifling through unlocked vehicles and stealing items inside. Meanwhile, Sewickley Borough police were investigating similar reports and asked residents to review home video surveillance systems.

Thefts were reported in Sewickley between 1 and 4 a.m. Tuesday. Carnegie police reported incidents there happened between 4 and 5:30 a.m. before the two people were arrested. Anyone whose car had been ransacked was asked to call police.

Monessen fire under investigation

A suspicious fire is under investigation in Monessen, according to TribLive news partner WTAE.

Fire Chief Delmar Hepple said the home on Ninth Street was vacant. Firefighters were called there around 6:45 p.m. Tuesday. Hepple said he called in extra volunteers to contend with the heat. A bus was brought in to give them a place to cool off.

No injuries were reported. A home next door was damaged.

Grenades found in checked bag at Pittsburgh airport

Two grenades were removed from a checked bag at Pittsburgh International Airport on Tuesday morning by Transportation Security Administration agents, according to spokesperson Lisa Farbstein.

“Fortunately, they were inert,” she said.

.@TSA removed these two grenades from a checked bag at @PITairport this morning. Fortunately they were inert. Either way, live or inert, these can't fly! The traveler said his friend told him that he could take them on a plane. With friends like that, . . . pic.twitter.com/PmY00gkp2A

— Lisa Farbstein, TSA Spokesperson (@TSA_Northeast) July 9, 2024

Grenades cannot be transported on an airplane in either checked or carry-on luggage, according to TSA.

State police release holiday crash report

Pennsylvania State Police in three troops that cover the Pittsburgh region investigated 131 crashes during the Independence Day holiday weekend, according to statistics released by the agency. Sixteen of those crashes were related to impaired driving. The enforcement lasted from July 3 to 7.

One person was killed in a crash over the weekend and 42 were hurt, according to the statistics.

The three troops, which cover most of 13 counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania, made almost 100 impaired driving arrests and issued 1,352 speeding citations.

Statewide, the number of crashes investigated over the holiday weekend by troopers increased by nearly 16% from 2023.

Police in Indiana seek Rite Aid robbery suspects

Indiana Borough police are seeking help to identify three people who they said robbed a Rite Aid this week.

The trio entered the Philadelphia Street pharmacy at 8:30 p.m. Monday wearing surgical masks and demanded employees hand over controlled substances. They fled on foot toward Water Street with the drugs and a vehicle transported at least one of them out of the borough.

Police on Tuesday released surveillance images of them.

Anyone with information on the suspects’ identities or their whereabouts prior to the robbery can contact police at 724-349-2121.