Crime & Safety

THIRD UPDATE: Police Identify Western Psych Shooter as John Shick of Shadyside

Western Psych Confirms Shooting Death of Employee Michael Schaab

THIRD UPDATE: Pittsburgh police identified 30-year-old John Shick of Shadyside as the gunman who opened fire Thursday at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC, the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette reports.

Shick was killed after shooting to death one person and injuring several others, according to the Post-Gazette.

Police said Shick had two 9mm semiautomatic handguns and two fanny packs with sandwich bags holding unidentified pills, the Post-Gazette reports.

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No motive has been established.

SECOND UPDATE: Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC today confirmed the death of employee Michael Schaab in Thursday's shootings that killed two people and injured seven at the Pittsburgh facility.

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Schaab, 25, worked at Western Psych since 2008 as a milieu therapist, providing program development and group therapy, according to UPMC's website.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague and friend, Michael Schaab, yesterday. It was clear that Michael was truly a leader among our staff, and he was beloved by the geriatric patients whom he cared for every day," said Claudia Roth, president and chief executive officer of Western Psych.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this time. This senseless act of violence has had a profound impact on all of us who knew and admired him. He will be greatly missed," Roth said.

“We are offering resources and tools to support staff, patients and families during this challenging time, and we offer our support and prayers to those who are still recovering from their injuries.”

Earlier version of story:

A man who died in Thursday's shooting at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC is from Edgewood, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported this morning.

"Michael Schaab, 25, of , was pronounced dead at the clinic at 3 p.m., about 80 minutes after the shootings occurred," the report states.

Two people died and seven were injured when the gunman entered Western Psych's lobby and started shooting about 1:40 p.m., Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenshahl said at a news conference Thursday evening.

The gunman died at the scene. His identity has not been released.

Here is a Friday morning update from UPMC's website for the five patients admitted to UPMC Presbyterian after the shooting:

  • 46-year-old male, gunshot wound, fair condition
  • 64-year-old female, gunshot wound, serious condition.
  • 54-year-old female, gunshot wound, good condition.
  • 35-year-old male, gunshot wound, fair condition.
  • 49-year-old male, gunshot wound, serious condition.

Two other people were evaluated and released, said Dr. Don Yealy, chief of emergency medicine at UPMC, at Thursday's news conference.

While watching news coverage of the shooting on Thursday, the Schaab family assumed Michael was safe because he worked on an upper floor in the geriatric unit, the AP reports.

The Post-Gazette also is reporting that Schaab was recently engaged to Megan Shively, 25, who works at UPMC Presbyterian in Shadyside. He is a Greensburg Central Catholic High School graduate who later attended and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh.

According to local obituaries, Schaab's sister, Nancy, died in October 2010 at the age of 26. Their parents are listed as Harry and Mary Schaab of Greensburg. The couple owns the Old Route 66 Grille in Greensburg.

Mary spoke with the Associated Press and said their daughter was tragically killed in a domestic dispute.


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