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Police: Man arrested after fatal shooting at Washington County graduation party

Julia Felton
By Julia Felton
2 Min Read May 16, 2021 | 5 years Ago
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One man was killed at a graduation party in Washington County on Saturday, and the man accused in the killing was arrested, according to police.

Richard Lawrence Rollison, 54, of Washington was charged with homicide after a shooting at his home on the 500 block of Pleasant Valley Road in Buffalo Township, according to police.

The Washington County Coroner identified the man who was killed as William Newman Jr., 50, of Washington.

Police responded to a shooting just before 10 p.m. Saturday and found a man who was shot in the chest twice, according to the criminal complaint. Spent shell casings were also located near the man.

Rollison’s wife told police that she had been inside her house with others when she heard a “pop.”

Her daughter Mckayla had entered the sunroom at the back of the house. She quickly came back into the house and yelled for her mother.

Rollison’s wife entered the sunroom to find her husband standing just outside the room and the victim lying on his back on a concrete slab just outside the sunroom, according to the complaint. No one else was in the room.

Her husband told her he shot Newman, according to the complaint.

Authorities conducted multiple interviews on the scene. The interviews indicated that Rollison was known to carry a firearm on his person daily. When police executed a search warrant at the residence, they found a firearm on Rollison’s bed. Documents showed he owned the firearm, which matched the caliber of the spent shell casings.

Several witnesses reported Newman and Rollison were the only ones outside at the time of the shooting.

Rollison is currently being held in the Washington County Jail after his bail was denied. A preliminary hearing is slated for May 24.

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About the Writers

Julia Felton is a TribLive reporter covering Pittsburgh City Hall and other news in and around Pittsburgh. A La Roche University graduate, she joined the Trib in 2020. She can be reached at jfelton@triblive.com.

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