Four accused of helping Francis elude police

By KRISTIE LINDEN

klinden@yourmvi.com

A day after the arrest of two people allegedly involved in helping the man accused of shooting a McKeesport police officer get away, warrants were issued for the arrest of two others who were also allegedly involved.

Koby Lee Francis, 22, of McKeesport is accused of shooting Officer Gerasimos “Jerry” Athans, 32, three times with a gun that he was able to conceal after he was taken into custody for a PFA violation eight days ago.

The shooting happened just after 4 p.m. Dec. 21 as Athans returned to the station with Francis handcuffed in the backseat. 

When the officer opened the back door to remove Francis from the car, surveillance footage appears to show that Athans was almost immediately shot. He ran for cover as Francis appeared to exit the car and continue to fire in Athans’ direction. Athans returned fire, emptying his gun as Francis ran away. Officials said there is no evidence Francis was struck by any of the bullets.

Almost exactly two hours later, according to Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office Detective Randy Grossman, Francis appeared on surveillance footage at Crawford Express in Crawford Village with several other people.

Grossman was led to the store’s surveillance footage after searching the Freemont Street home of Gesiah Grigsby, 21, Francis’ brother’s girlfriend, the night of the shooting. 

They didn’t find Francis, but they returned the next day and interviewed Grigsby and Jasmyn Henderson-Bracey, 25, of McKeesport, along with another woman who hasn’t been charged.

Grigsby told police she hadn’t spoken to Francis since before the shooting and that she’d gone to Crawford Village before returning home. The third woman interviewed at the Freemont Street home told police she believed Francis had been at Crawford Express in Crawford Village.

Police reviewed surveillance footage at Crawford Express from Sunday running from 6:20 p.m. to about 6:30 p.m.

Grossman wrote that Francis, Grigsby and Henderson-Bracey are seen walking in together and “congregating together in the store, near the clerks counter.” About six minutes later, Francis removes his hood, “clearly exposing the handcuffs still attached to his wrists,” Grossman wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.

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