Morning Roundup: Police say Homestead school teacher assaulted; arrests made for Anderson Bridge graffiti

Here are some of the latest news items of note on Tuesday, Oct. 31:

Man charged with assaulting Homestead elementary teacher

A man is facing multiple charges after police said a teacher was assaulted outside a Homestead elementary school.

Court paperwork said the assault happened shortly after 3:20 p.m. Monday outside Barrett Elementary School on East 12th Avenue.

The victim said she was leaving the school when she caught sight of a man identified as Ibrahim Hamisu, who was staring at her, the report said.

The teacher told police she kept walking but the suspect turned around and lunged at her, grabbing her right arm and not letting go. She told police she was able to free herself and ran back to the school, banging on the windows to get the attention of someone inside to let her in.

Tribune-Review news partner WTAE reported Hamisu was questioned by police and taken into custody. He was arraigned early Tuesday morning and is being held in the Allegheny County Jail.

Graffiti sprayers arrested for tagging Anderson Bridge

Pittsburgh police have charged two men with criminal mischief for tagging the Anderson Bridge, which connects South Oakland to Schenley Park and points east.

Just before 10:45 p.m. Oct. 27, a Pittsburgh Police Graffiti Squad detective was on an undercover surveillance on the bridge when he observed two men on bikes stop in the middle of the bridge and pull spray cans from a backpack. He said he overheard them discuss where they had painted previous tags in that location.

For the past several weeks, the bridge has been tagged almost daily with graffiti, Tribune-Review news partner WTAE reported. A patrol officer working nearby assisted with the arrests.

The men, both 20, were also charged with intentionally damaging property, possessing instruments of crime, and criminal conspiracy. They were taken to the Allegheny County Jail and later released on their own recognizance to appear in court at a later date.

The cost of the damage was estimated at $1,000.