OfficerBlueMelcroft, PA – Pennsylvania State Police have identified the suspect and victims of Sunday morning’s mass shooting at a car wash in Melcroft.
The murdered victims were identified as William Porterfield, 27; Chelsie Cline, 25; Courtney Snyder, 23; and Seth Cline, 21. The suspect was identified as Timothy Smith, 28.
Smith is in critical condition from what may be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to WTAE. He’s expected to die any time now.
A woman hiding in the bed of the victim’s pickup survived the shooting, and had only minor injuries.
Despite mass speculation on social media, the incident does not appear to be drug related.
The shooting happened at the car wash in the 1300 block of Indiana Creek Valley Road at approximately 2:52 a.m., according to WTAE.
Smith armed himself with an AR-15 rifle, .308 rifle, and 9mm pistol, and donned a plate carrier with no plates in it.
He then waited at the side of the car wash prior to his victims’ arrival. For unknown reasons, his ex-girlfriend Chelsie Cline arrived with her brother and friends, got out of their car, and walked around the side of the car wash. Smith then opened fire, killing them.
Cline and Smith had broken up just days earlier, according to Heavy.
Erin Clarke reported that the victim’s sister described Smith as having an “obsessive personality.”
“He would leave stuff on her car. She’d get done with work and she’d come out and there would be a case of beer on her hood… Now I could see it. He has a very obsessive personality,” she said, according to Clarke.
Cline had posted a Facebook message on Jan. 24 which said, “After this week, I rlly need to get taken out…on a date or by a sniper either one is fine w me at this point.”
Smith responded, “I could do both.”
On Jan. 22 she wrote, “with my luck, I’ll probably die the day after I finally get my sh*t together.”
Authorities are still trying to piece together an exact motive, but Trooper Robert Broadwater said, “There is no indication of drug activity at this point,” according to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
A GoFundMe page was set up for one of the victims who leaves behind a 4-year-old son. On the page her friends said:
“Cortney Snyder was shot and killed, Sunday, January 28th. The only thing she did was give someone a ride to their car,” the page says. “I’ve known this family my entire life. She leaves behind her 4 year old little boy, who was the love of her life. How do you tell this little boy that mommy isn’t coming home? The entire family is understandably devastated. They don’t have the money for this. How do you bury your 23 year old daughter? Please donate if you can and pray for Cindy, Rick and little Chase.”
Cline also leaves behind her young child.
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