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STEUBENVILLE -- City police confirmed Wednesday one teen is in custody in connection with an assault that "escalated the situation" and led to the exchange of gunfire that critically injured a juvenile on Monday, but the "facts and circumstances of the shooting (itself) remain under investigation."
Chief Ken Anderson said 18-year-old Trey Michael Jeter of Steubenville has been charged with felonious assault and is being held in the Allegheny County Jail pending extradition to Jefferson County.
The injured juvenile remains in critical but stable condition in a Pittsburgh hospital, where he was flown Monday afternoon for treatment of multiple gunshot wounds.
While it remains an active investigation, Anderson did say that when officers responded to reports of a shooting around 12:39 p.m. Monday in the 1400 block of Maryland Avenue, "they discovered (the) male juvenile had sustained multiple gunshot wounds."
He said responding officers administered first aid to control the youth's bleeding until Steubenville firefighters and EMS personnel arrived at the scene and took over. He was subsequently flown by medical helicopter to Pittsburgh.
"Through our investigation, we have determined that a verbal argument prior to the shooting turned physical when (Jeter allegedly) assaulted a male juvenile," the chief said. "This assault appears to have escalated the situation and resulted in the juvenile victim and a male who was with Mr. Jeter exchanging gunfire. Mr. Jeter and the other male fled the scene in a white Jeep with Pennsylvania plates."
The individual in the vehicle who was with Jeter was released while the investigation continues.
Anderson said the scene was secured "and detectives arrived and began their investigation. Other officers located and spoke with witnesses while patrol officers continued to check the area for the vehicle involved."
"Officers used a city crime camera to obtain (the) license plate of the vehicle," he added. "This information was passed on to law enforcement agencies in Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. With the cooperation of the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pittsburgh Police Department, the (Jeep) was located, stopped and the occupants ... detained. They were taken to Pittsburgh Police headquarters where officers from the Steubenville Police Department responded and interviewed them."
Anderson said that, due to the efforts of his officers, Pennsylvania State Police and Pittsburgh Police, "parties and witnesses were identified, evidence was collected and two firearms used in the shooting were located and seized within hours of the initial call."
"We will continue to work with the prosecutor's office throughout the course of this investigation as information becomes available," he added. "Anyone with information should contact the Steubenville Police Department at (740) 283-6090."