Police: Melcroft mass shooting suspect has died
The suspect in a mass shooting at a Melcroft car wash has died at a hospital, according to state police.
Timothy O’Brien Smith, 28, was pronounced dead just before 9 p.m. Sunday by two doctors at Forbes Regional Hospital in Monroeville by two separate doctors, state police said.
He allegedly gunned down four people outside Ed’s Car Wash on Indian Creek Valley Road at about 3 a.m. Sunday. The victims were Chelsie Lou Cline, 25, her brother Seth William Cline, 21, Cortney Sue Snyder, 23, and William Scott Porterfield, 27. A fifth person hid in the backseat of a truck and escaped with minor injuries from broken glass.
Smith sustained a gunshot wound to the head, which police believe to be self-inflicted.
He was wearing body armor and armed with a .308 sniper rifle, an AR-15 .223 semiautomatic assault rifle and a 9-mm handgun.
Police believe Smith arrived first at the car wash, followed by Chelsie Cline and Porterfield in a second vehicle and Snyder, Seth Cline and the surviving victim in a third vehicle. The name of the survivor has not been released.
Investigators are examining whether the deadly ambush was spurred by jealousy. Cline reportedly had a previous relationship with Smith, which she ended recently. Family said Porterfield and Smith got into a brief altercation earlier that night at Tall Cedars Lounge in Donegal, which started after Smith hugged Cline. Police believe all of the people involved were together at the bar that night.
Police are examining cellphone records to determine why the victims and suspects were at the car wash.