East Pittsburgh officer charged in shooting of teen

Prosecutors in East Pittsburgh, Pa., on Wednesday charged a white police officer with criminal homicide in the shooting death of an unarmed black teenager. On June 19, East Pittsburgh Officer Michael Rosfeld pulled over a car that matched the description of a vehicle involved in a nearby drive-by shooting that had occurred 15 minutes earlier. While Rosfeld arrested the driver, 17-year-old Antwon Rose Jr. fled from the car along with a companion. Rosfeld fired several rounds, hitting Rose three times in the elbow, back, and face. The teen died from his injuries. Investigators say Rosfeld, 30, gave inconsistent statements about whether he had seen what he thought was a gun in Rose’s hand. They determined the teenager was not carrying a gun, although he had an empty gun magazine in his pocket. Police found two guns inside the vehicle. Investigators say the driver admitted someone had fired shots from the back seat of the car earlier in the day but claimed Rose had been in the front seat and had not shot anyone during the drive-by shooting. If convicted, Rosfeld could face a sentence of life in prison.