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Police gather evidence Saturday at the scene of an early morning shooting at Ferris Court in Homewood.
(STEVEN ADAMS/tribune-Review)

Brian Bowling and Brandon Keat, The Pittsburg Tribune-Review, via Fark, report:

Two undercover policemen and a shooting suspect fired at least 103 rounds during an early morning shootout Saturday that jolted residents of a Homewood housing complex, but resulted in no injuries.

“All I heard was ‘Pow! Pow! Bing! Bing!’ Then you started hearing the police,” said Homewood resident Tracey Taylor, who was in bed when the shooting started. “We thought they were at war up here — shooting out car windows. It was crazy.”

Two undercover police officers dove from their car as the shooting started, police said. One bullet passed through the driver’s headrest and into the back seat where a third officer, who was off yesterday morning, normally sat. Another bullet passed through the passenger’s side doorframe, barely missing the second officer.

“It was a very close call for the officers,” said Pittsburgh police Chief Robert W. McNeilly Jr.

The suspect fled, and police fanned out around the Ferris Court housing complex, while a police helicopter hovered overhead shining a spotlight on the scene.

Keith Carter, 19, of Homewood, was arrested and charged with two counts each of attempted homicide and aggravated assault, as well as reckless endangerment and a firearms violation. He was in the Allegheny County Jail yesterday evening awaiting arraignment.

The two police officers have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard policy in police shootings. They were not identified yesterday, but McNeilly said their names would be released on Monday.

Yesterday’s shooting was the second in the past eight days involving city police. On May 27, Zone 5 Patrolmen Charles Lukitsch, Philip Lerza and Shawn Dady killed Vincent Napper, 28, after he opened fire on the officers in Lincoln-Lemington after a car chase, police said.

McNeilly said there was no connection between the Napper shooting and the one that allegedly involved Carter.

Police said yesterday’s gunbattle began after they responded to a shooting at a home along Race Street at 3:20 a.m. The victim, William Ford, 26, was shot in the legs and taken to UPMC Presbyterian hospital, Oakland, where police said he was in serious-but-stable condition.

“We consider (Carter) a suspect in that case, but at this point in the investigation, he has not been charged,” said police Lt. Kevin Kraus said.

About 25 officers responded to the call, including an undercover unit known as the “99 car,” which specializes in “guns, drugs and gangs,” said McNeilly.

The two undercover officers had been searching for a suspect in an unrelated case when the Race Street call came in, he said.

Their search for leads took them to Ferris Court, where they reportedly saw Carter walking down the street, McNeilly said.

McNeilly said that the two officers have had 12 to 15 encounters with Carter this year, which he would not detail. Carter immediately recognized the officers and began firing rapidly with a Tec-9 submachine gun, McNeilly said.

The officers became involved in a running gun battle as Carter allegedly fled down the street. At least 103 rounds were fired by the suspect and the two officers, Kraus said.

Officers tracked Carter to a house in Ferris Court, which he entered through the rear door. Kraus said police called the home and told everyone to come out. Seven people emerged, including Carter, police said.

He was arrested without further incident, and the six others — including at least one juvenile — were taken into custody for questioning. Police recovered a Tec-9 from the rear of the house. Police said they believe it was the weapon used in the shooting.

Kraus said no one else in the home has been charged in the case at this point, but a 9 mm pistol and large amount of heroin and crack cocaine were recovered from the home.

While police haven’t determined a motive for the Race Street shooting, McNeilly said officers familiar with the neighborhood told him that a group from the Race Street area has been feuding with people in the Ferris Court area. He said he didn’t know the underlying cause of the feud.