Police: Woman leaps from car in Pittsburgh to escape couple’s kidnapping plot
OVERNIGHT IN A SHOOTING IN EAST MCKEESPORT. I’M LIVE BREAKING DOWN WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION AND HOW POLICE WERE ABLE TO TAKE THE SUSPECT INTO CUSTODY. AN INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY AFTER A MAN WAS ARRESTED, ACCUSED OF KILLING HIS GIRLFRIEND AND DRIVING HER BODY AROUND IN HIS TRUCK FOR DAYS. CHANGING THE FACE OF DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH. A PLAN TO FIND NEW USE FOR ANOTHER EMPTY BUILDING, AND WHAT IT COULD MEAN FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY. WILL AARON RODGERS BE READY TO PLAY SUNDAY IN CHICAGO? WITH HIS FRACTURED LEFT WRIST? THAT NOW WE KNOW WILL REQUIRE A BRACE? IT’S HIS BODY. SO CERTAINLY HE’S GOING TO BE A COMPONENT OF THE DISCUSSION. WE WILL HEAR FROM MIKE TOMLIN ON THE FACTORS THAT WILL GO INTO THE DECISION TO CLEAR RODGERS. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR THIS MORNING STARTS NOW. ALL RIGHT. HALFWAY THROUGH THE WORKWEEK ON THIS WEDNESDAY. THANKS FOR JOINING US HERE AT 6:00. YEAH A LOT TO GET TO HERE ON THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING. AGAIN SO NICE TO HAVE YOU WITH US. YESTERDAY’S WEATHER WAS KIND OF BLAH. YEAH. HOPEFULLY IT WILL GET BETTER TODAY. ASHLEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK? I MEAN, IT’S STILL GLOOMY. IT’S TYPICAL ALMOST WINTER SEASON. I LIKE HOW YOU’RE GOING TO TELL US ABOUT THE BIG WARM-UP, THOUGH. 47 DEGREES. THAT’S HUGE. THAT’S A BIG ONE FOR US. WE’LL TAKE IT. THAT’S T SHIRT WEATHER ALMOST IN JANUARY. BUT RIGHT NOW IT WILL BE A LITTLE WARMER. AS ELLEN MENTIONED, WE WILL GET OUT OF THE 30S AND INTO THE 40S LATER TODAY. WE DO HAVE SOME SHOWERS RETURNING ON FRIDAY. NOT GOING TO BE A WASHOUT. AND THE TIMING OF IT STILL A LITTLE QUESTIONABLE, BUT RIGHT NOW LOOKS TO BE LATER IN THE DAY, BUT DRY FOR MOST OF THE WEEKEND, WHICH IS GREAT. WE GOT WPIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS ON SATURDAY AND ALSO LIGHT UP NIGHT, WHICH DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH LOOKS PICTURE PERFECT RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FOG TRYING TO DEVELOP THAT CLOUD DECK IS PRETTY LOW AND WE ARE SEEING SOME LOWER VISIBILITY. THIS IS JUST POPPING UP INTO LAWRENCE COUNTY, DOWN ABOUT A THREE MILE VISIBILITY, DOWN TO 2 TO 3 MILES INTO PORTIONS OF BUTLER AND BEAVER COUNTY, DROPPING DOWN TO FOUR HERE NOW INTO WESTMORELAND AND FAYETTE. CONTINUE TO SEE THAT LOWER VISIBILITY, THOSE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. BUT OVERALL, WE’RE ACTION CAMS LOOK TO BE PRETTY QUIET RIGHT NOW. 36 DEGREES WINDS ARE CALM ALL AROUND THE REGION. WE’RE SITTING IN THE MID TO UPPER 30S. AND AS ELENA SAID, IT IS GOING TO BE A BIT OF A WARM UP. WE ARE EXPECTING INTO THE UPPER 40S TODAY. CAN’T RULE OUT A FEW PEEKS OF SUNSHINE, BUT MAINLY MOSTLY CLOUDY. ELENA CAN’T WAIT FOR THE HEAT WAVE LATER TODAY. ASHLEY THANK YOU. AND PITTSBURGH’S ACTION TRAFFIC LOOKS GOOD FOR US AS WE GET STARTED ON THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING. WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING AT IS THE FLOW MAP WITH THE ROAD TEMPERATURES FEATURE ON THE GREEN YOU’RE SEEING MEANS TEMPERATURES ARE ABOVE FREEZING. THAT LIGHTER BLUE COLOR MEANS THEY’RE AT FREEZING DARKER BLUE BELOW FREEZING. SO IF YOU ARE NORTH OF 422, YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME ICY SPOTS. IF YOU’RE IN THE GREEN AREA, IT’S PROBABLY JUST SOME WET ROAD CONDITIONS. AS YOU’RE WAKING UP AND GETTING STARTED. TAKING THAT FEATURE OFF THE MAP AND LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE JUST A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO PITTSBURGH. SOME SLOWDOWNS STARTING TO BUILD IN THE USUAL SPOTS, BUT NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. GOOD NEWS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO USE 279, ESPECIALLY IF YOU USE THE HOV LANES. THEY’RE FINALLY REOPENED AND WITHOUT ANY TECHNICAL ISSUES. THIS MORNING, A LIVE LOOK AT THE PARKWAY WEST AND EAST. GOOD FOR NOW, BUT WE’RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE PARKWAY EAST, BECAUSE TODAY THERE WILL BE BEAM DELIVERIES BETWEEN 10 AND 2. I’LL REMIND YOU WHAT THAT MEANS FOR DRIVERS COMING UP IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. BREAKING NEWS TO GET TO A MAN HAS BEEN CHARGED IN A SHOOTING YESTERDAY AFTERNOON IN EAST MCKEESPORT, AND POLICE SAY IT ALL STEMMED FROM A FIGHT OVER A PARKING SITUATION. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER AVA RASH JOINS US LIVE FROM ALLEGHENY COUNTY POLICE HEADQUARTERS WITH WHAT WE KNOW THIS MORNING ABOUT THE SUSPECT AND THE VICTIM. EVA. YEAH, GUYS, GOOD MORNING TO YOU BOTH. AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE DID LEARN THAT TIMEA JOHNSON, WHO IS 21 YEARS OLD, IS FACING SEVERAL CHARGES, INCLUDING ATTEMPTED HOMICIDE AFTER POLICE SAY HE SHOT HIS NEIGHBOR. NOW, THIS ALL HAPPENED YESTERDAY EVENING IN EAST MCKEESPORT AROUND 445 ON WOODMONT AVENUE. ACCORDING TO THE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT, THIS ACTUALLY STARTED OVER A PARKING SITUATION. LIKE YOU BOTH WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT. A WITNESS TOLD POLICE JOHNSON APPROACHED THE VICTIM AND CONFRONTED HIM ABOUT HOW FREQUENTLY HE LOCKED HIS CAR DOORS. ANYTIME HE WAS NEAR THE APARTMENT AND IT WAS AN ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE NOISE, INVESTIGATORS SAY THE TWO MEN CONTINUED TALKING ABOUT THE SITUATION, AND THAT’S WHEN JOHNSON SHOT THE VICTIM. TWO OTHER PEOPLE, INCLUDING A CHILD, WERE ALSO CLOSE BY WHEN THAT SHOOTING HAPPENED. ACCORDING TO THIS COURT DOCUMENTS, JOHNSON CALLED 911 TO TURN HIMSELF IN, CLAIMING SELF-DEFENSE. NOW THAT VICTIM WAS SHOT IN THE STOMACH. TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. THE LAST UPDATE THAT WE HAVE IS THAT HE WAS IN SURGERY IN CRITICAL CONDITION. FOR NOW COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY. LIVE AT ALLEGHENY COUNTY POLICE HEADQUARTERS. AVA RASH PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. EVA. THANK YOU. FIVE PEOPLE WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AFTER THE DRIVER OF A FORD BRONCO CRASHED INTO AN AMBULANCE LAST NIGHT. FAYETTE COUNTY DISPATCHERS TELL US IT HAPPENED AROUND 6 P.M. IN UNIONTOWN. INVESTIGATORS SAY NO ONE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AS THE VICTIMS WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. JUST AS A PRECAUTION. RIGHT NOW, THE CRASH IS UNDER INVESTIGATION. THIS MORNING, A MAN IS IN THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY JAIL ACCUSED OF KILLING HIS GIRLFRIEND. AND POLICE SAY HE DROVE AROUND WITH HER BODY FOR THREE DAYS IN HIS TRUCK. INVESTIGATORS TELL US 62 YEAR OLD SEAN HIGGINS BEAT JACQUELINE PRIOR TO DEATH INSIDE HIS PICKUP TRUCK, WHICH WAS PARKED ON SALTSBURG ROAD IN PLUM SATURDAY. POLICE SAY AFTER HE KILLED HER, HIGGINS COVERED UP HER BODY AND DROVE AROUND WITH HER IN THE TRUCK FOR DAYS. HE ALLEGEDLY THREW HER BELONGINGS IN A DUMPSTER AND THEN CALLED A FRIEND FOR HELP. THAT FRIEND NOTIFIED POLICE THAT HIGGINS WAS HEADED TO THEIR HOME IN WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, WESTMORELAND COUNTY. AND THAT’S WHERE POLICE ARRESTED HIGGINS AND RECOVERED THE VICTIM’S BODY. STILL IN THE TRUCK ON MONDAY. INVESTIGATORS SAY HIGGINS BLAMED HER FOR GETTING KICKED OUT OF HIS APARTMENT AND BEING FORCED TO LIVE IN THAT TRUCK. HIGGINS WAS DENIED BAIL AND AWAITS A PRELIMINARY HEARING IN DECEMBER. THIS MORNING, THE BILL ORDERING THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO RELEASE ALL THE FILES INTO JEFFREY EPSTEIN IS HEADED TO PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S DESK. ONLY ONE REPUBLICAN IN CONGRESS VOTED NO TO RELEASING THOSE DOCUMENTS. AND FOR WEEKS, PRESIDENT TRUMP FOUGHT AGAINST RELEASING THE EPSTEIN FILES, BUT RECENTLY REVERSED COURSE FOLLOWING THE VOTE TO RELEASE THE FILES, LAWMAKERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE HAVE CAST DOUBT THAT THE PRESIDENT WILL ACTUALLY SIGN THE BILL AND RELEASE THE DOCUMENTS, SO WE’LL WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. TODAY, THE PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD WILL MEET AND DISCUSS THE PLAN TO CLOSE SEVERAL SCHOOL BUILDINGS. DUE TO A MAJOR BUDGET DEFICIT. YESTERDAY, THE DISTRICT RELEASED NEW INFORMATION ABOUT ITS PROPOSED BUDGET FOR 2026, A FULL BREAKDOWN OF THE $739 MILLION BUDGET IS LISTED RIGHT NOW ON THE SCHOOL’S WEBSITE. IT’S NEARLY $16 MILLION LESS THAN THIS YEAR, AND THE BUDGET DEFICIT IS SET TO BE $12.2 MILLION. THAT’S ABOUT HALF THE DEFICIT FOR THIS YEAR. IT ALSO INCLUDES A PROPOSED 4% MILLAGE RATE INCREASE. A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET IS SET FOR DECEMBER 8TH. A VOTE IS EXPECTED AT THE BOARD’S LEGISLATIVE MEETING ON DECEMBER 17TH. LEADERS AT POINT PARK UNIVERSITY HOPE TO EXPAND THEIR CAMPUS IN DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH. THE UNIVERSITY JUST ANNOUNCED PLANS TO PURCHASE THE OLD YWCA BUILDING ON WOOD STREET. COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR’S LILY COLEMAN JOINS US LIVE FROM DOWNTOWN. LILY, THE BUILDING WE KNOW HAS BEEN SITTING EMPTY FOR YEARS NOW. SO WHAT IS POINT PARK PLAN TO DO WITH IT? WELL, GOOD MORNING TO YOU BOTH. YEAH, IT’S BEEN EMPTY FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS NOW. AND WHILE THE PROCESS AND THE PLANNING IS STILL UNDERWAY, POINT PARK LEADERS TELL US THEY ARE HOPING TO TURN THIS ABANDONED BUILDING INTO A MULTI-USE SPACE. MAYBE EVEN A STUDENT UNION FOR STUDENTS, AS WELL AS SOME ADDITIONAL HOUSING, WHICH OF COURSE IS MUCH NEEDED. AS YOU’LL REMEMBER, THE UNIVERSITY ACTUALLY RAN OUT OF SPACE FOR INCOMING FRESHMAN STUDENTS EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE FRESHMAN CLASS INCREASED BY ABOUT 20%, LEAVING SOME STUDENTS ACTUALLY LIVING IN A HOTEL ROOM FOR THEIR FIRST YEAR THIS YEAR. SO THE UNIVERSITY SAYS THEY ARE DESPERATELY IN NEED OF THAT SPACE. AND IT’S NOT EXACTLY A DONE DEAL YET. BUT POINT PARK UNIVERSITY LEADERS HAVE SIGNED A LETTER OF INTENT TO PURCHASE THE WOOD STREET BUILDING. THE HOPE IS TO TURN IT INTO A MULTI-USE SPACE THAT STUDENTS REALLY COULD TAKE PRIDE IN. NOW, UNIVERSITY LEADERS ARE HOPING THIS ALSO HELPS WITH THE REVITALIZATION OF DOWNTOWN. THE OLD YWCA SITS, OF COURSE, RIGHT IN THE HEART OF POINT PARK’S CAMPUS HERE, AND BOTH UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS AND STUDENTS WE SPOKE TO DESCRIBE IT AS AN EYESORE, SO ALL ARE EXCITED TO HOPEFULLY BRING NEW LIFE TO THIS OLD SPACE. WHY DO WE WANT TO BUY IT? BECAUSE IT WAS AVAILABLE. IT’S A REALLY UNIQUE SPACE, A UNIQUE BUILDING, AND FOR A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING DOWNTOWN, WE’RE REALLY THE IDEAL END USER. YOU KNOW, WE’RE NOT YOU KNOW, WE’RE NOT A TYPICAL DEVELOPER. WE’RE WE’RE A UNIVERSITY AND WE’RE A UNIVERSITY THAT’S GROWING. SO AS FOR THE TIMELINE OF THIS PROJECT, A LOT OF THAT STILL UNDERWAY, WE’RE TOLD BY BLACK WHO YOU JUST HEARD FROM, THAT THEY’RE HOPING TO ACQUIRE THE TITLE FOR THIS BUILDING AT SOME POINT IN JANUARY. AFTER THAT’S DONE, THE PROCESS CAN REALLY CONTINUE, AND THEY PLAN TO NOT WASTE ANY TIME THEY WANT TO GET RIGHT TO IT AND GET THIS OPEN JUST AS QUICKLY AND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SO JUST AS SOON AS WE HAVE ANY NEW DETAILS ON THE PROJECT OR THAT TIMELINE, WE’LL LET YOU KNOW BOTH ON AIR AND ONLINE AT WTAE.COM COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY LIVE FROM DOWNTOWN THIS MORNING I’M LILY COLEMAN, PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. LILY THANK YOU. TODAY WE WILL FIND OUT WHO THE NEXT LEADER OF DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY WILL BE. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL ANNOUNCE ITS SELECTION TO BE THE SCHOOL’S 14TH REPRESENTATIVE PRESIDENT AT 10:00 THIS MORNING. EARLIER THIS YEAR, PRESIDENT KEN GORMLEY ANNOUNCED HIS PLAN TO STEP DOWN AND TRANSITION TO CHANCELLOR AT THE UNIVERSITY. AND THAT WILL BE EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST OF 2026. TODAY’S ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE LIVE STREAMED ON YOUTUBE TODAY. UNIONIZED STARBUCKS BARISTAS PLAN TO CONTINUE THEIR STRIKE OVER WHAT THEY’RE CALLING UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES. THE STRIKE WILL HAPPEN AT 65 STORES ACROSS MORE THAN 40 CITIES, AND THAT DOES INCLUDE SOME HERE IN PITTSBURGH. LATER THIS MORNING, THE BARISTAS PLAN TO STRIKE ON FIFTH AVENUE IN NORTH OAKLAND. IT WILL BE WAIT AND SEE ON AARON RODGERS THIS WEEK. WHEN IT COMES TO WHETHER HE WILL BE ABLE TO PLAY SUNDAY IN CHICAGO. YESTERDAY, MIKE TOMLIN CONFIRMED THAT RODGERS DID FRACTURE HIS LEFT NON-THROWING WRIST AND DOES NOT NEED SURGERY. HE HAS NOT BEEN RULED OUT FOR SUNDAY AND WILL NOT PRACTICE TODAY, AS THE FOCUS WILL BE ON BRACING THE WRIST AND SECURING IT AND SEEING HOW FUNCTIONAL IT IS LATER IN THE WEEK. A LITTLE LATER IN THE WEEK, WE’LL TAKE A LOOK AT AARON. AND AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, THE VARIABLES ARE. STABILIZING IT AND MAKING SURE THAT HE’S SAFE AND HE CAN PROTECT HIMSELF. BRACE HIMSELF AS HE FALLS. ET-CETERA. PAIN TOLERANCE. BUT THAT DOESN’T SEEM TO BE AN ISSUE WITH AARON. FRIDAY IS PROBABLY A BIG DAY IN TERMS OF SOME OF THOSE THINGS. I KNOW HE’S WORKING HIS TAIL OFF TO TO TO BE A COMPONENT OF THIS THIS WEEK. AND YOU KNOW, HE WANTS TO GO. HE HAS, BY THE WAY, OWNED THE CHICAGO BEARS THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER, PLAYING AGAINST THEM SO MANY TIMES WHEN HE WAS WITH THE PACKERS. AND HE WILL HAVE INPUT ON WHETHER HE PLAYS ON SUNDAY. OF COURSE, UNTIL RODGERS IS CLEARED. MASON RUDOLPH TAKES OVER AT QUARTERBACK. AND RIGHT NOW, AS WE WAIT FOR THE SUN TO RISE OVER PITTSBURGH, LET’S GET BACK TO ASHLEY FOR A LOOK AT THE TOP WEATHER HEADLINES TODAY. YEAH, YOU KNOW WE ARE GOING TO SEE THAT FOG OUT THERE THIS MORNING. YOU CAN SEE THAT CLOUD DECK IS PRETTY LOW. AND OVERALL WE ARE SEEING SOME OF THAT FOG REALLY IMPACT NOW INTO LAWRENCE AND BEAVER COUNTY, ALSO INTO WESTMORELAND FAYETTE. SO JUST BE AWARE THAT LOOKING AT YOUR WET TO WEAR FORECAST, WE ARE EXPECTING STILL NEEDING THE COAT, HAT AND GLOVES SCARF TODAY, BUT IT WILL BE WARMER THAN YESTERDAY. YESTERDAY. WE’RE ONLY IN THE UPPER 30S, GOING TO PEAK UP NEAR 47, BUT SHOULD SEE A LITTLE BIT OF SUNSHINE LATER IN THE AFTERNOON. THANK YOU. IT IS 611. AND STILL AHEAD THIS MORNING GETTING READY FOR HOLIDAY TRAVEL IN THE NEW TERMINAL AT PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AI
Police: Woman leaps from car in Pittsburgh to escape couple’s kidnapping plot
Updated: 9:39 AM EST Nov 19, 2025
A woman jumped out of a car in Pittsburgh to escape a man she says kidnapped her from a different county. The woman told authorities a man named Tyrone Turner and his girlfriend Ariel Harper arrived at her Aliquippa home in a rental car on Monday.The complaint states the rental vehicle had been rented by the victim for Turner and his girlfriend, who the victim knew through work, to use. The victim said Harper and Turner began accusing her of stealing money from them which the victim told authorities she denied. According to the complaint, Turner pulled out a gun and pointed it at the victim. Both Turner and Harper ordered the victim to the car then told her they were going to drive to Beaver to open a bank account in her name.While driving, the report claims Turner and Harper decided to drive to Pittsburgh instead. Turner allegedly told the victim, “We are going to meet my people and I am going to pay them to kill you.”The complaint states while stopped at a red light, the victim got out of the vehicle and ran to safety, leaving her belongings in the car. Authorities say they went to Harper and Turner’s home on Linmar Terrace where they found the rental car outside. After 30 minutes of knocking, Harper exited the home, but Turner remained inside.After an additional 30 minutes, Turner also exited. Inside the home, authorities say they found a gun, a BB gun and all of the victim’s personal items that had been left in the car.Turner is facing numerous charges including kidnapping to inflict injury and terror. Harper is facing similar charges.
PITTSBURGH —
A woman jumped out of a car in Pittsburgh to escape a man she says kidnapped her from a different county.
The woman told authorities a man named Tyrone Turner and his girlfriend Ariel Harper arrived at her Aliquippa home in a rental car on Monday.
The complaint states the rental vehicle had been rented by the victim for Turner and his girlfriend, who the victim knew through work, to use.
The victim said Harper and Turner began accusing her of stealing money from them which the victim told authorities she denied.
According to the complaint, Turner pulled out a gun and pointed it at the victim. Both Turner and Harper ordered the victim to the car then told her they were going to drive to Beaver to open a bank account in her name.
While driving, the report claims Turner and Harper decided to drive to Pittsburgh instead. Turner allegedly told the victim, “We are going to meet my people and I am going to pay them to kill you.”
The complaint states while stopped at a red light, the victim got out of the vehicle and ran to safety, leaving her belongings in the car.
Authorities say they went to Harper and Turner’s home on Linmar Terrace where they found the rental car outside. After 30 minutes of knocking, Harper exited the home, but Turner remained inside.
After an additional 30 minutes, Turner also exited.
Inside the home, authorities say they found a gun, a BB gun and all of the victim’s personal items that had been left in the car.
Turner is facing numerous charges including kidnapping to inflict injury and terror. Harper is facing similar charges.