Stowe man accused of firing shots at Pittsburgh sanitation workers

A Stowe man who police said opened fire on two Pittsburgh environmental services workers last week was taken into custody Tuesday, according to police.

Henry Rainey, 37, faces two counts of aggravated assault. Police said he fired on two men collecting trash in the city’s Fairywood neighborhood on May 23.

Two city sanitation employees were emptying cans along Fairywood Street shortly before 10 a.m. when a man later identified as Rainey walked out of one of the homes, according to a criminal complaint filed in the case.

One of the employees said Rainey said something along the lines of, “Do we have a problem?” and the employee ignored him, the complaint said. As one employee began to drive the garbage truck up the hill, Rainey came outside with a long black rifle and aimed it directly at the other employee who was outside of the truck, according to the complaint.

One of the sanitation workers had to take cover behind the truck as Rainey fired two rounds, police said. Both employees said they saw the man who shot at them take off in a white SUV.

Police said they found a long black rifle inside the home as well as items indicating they belonged to Rainey. A white Ford Expedition that Rainey had bought days earlier matched the description given by the sanitation employees of the shooting suspect’s vehicle, according to the complaint.

In addition to aggravated assault, Rainey is charged with reckless endangerment and criminal mischief. Court records did not list an attorney for Rainey as of Tuesday afternoon.