Valley man charged after 24 shots fired during fight outside restaurant
Springdale police have charged a Monessen man after two dozen shots were fired outside a borough business late Saturday night.
By BRIAN C. RITTMEYER
TribLive
Police charged Armando Antonio Diaz, 22, with robbery, theft, aggravated and simple assault, reckless endangerment, and firearms offenses, according to court records.
According to a criminal complaint, an officer monitoring traffic in the 1100 block of Pittsburgh Street heard multiple gunshots being fired outside of From Italy around 11:45 p.m. Saturday.
The officer went to the area at 1115 Lincoln Ave. and saw two men running. The officer drew his firearm and held both at gunpoint, according to the criminal complaint. One was identified as Diaz.
Diaz, the other man and a woman found in a vehicle nearby were taken into custody.
A total of 24 spent shell casings from a handgun and a live round of ammunition were found on the road and near the vehicle where the woman was found.
No persons were shot, police said. Police used footage from borough cameras to piece together what had happened.
According to the complaint, Diaz and the other man began to fight near the woman’s vehicle. Diaz is seen running across the street, pointing a gun to the sky and firing multiple times. The other man runs and jumps into the grass, and the Springdale officer arrives.
Police were initially not able to find the gun, according to the complaint. A gun registered to the other man was found in the woman’s vehicle after police say she allowed them to search it.
According to the complaint, the woman told police that she drove Diaz, whom she identified as her boyfriend, and the other man to From Italy to make music videos. She said Diaz was upset because she was talking with the other man.
Police said Diaz agreed to speak with officers and admitted to assaulting the other man because he was flirting with his girlfriend. According to the complaint, Diaz admitted to taking the gun from Hoffman during the fight and firing it into the air.
Diaz is a convicted felon not allowed to possess a firearm, police said.
Diaz was awaiting arraignment on Sunday.
