Pittsburgh woman reported missing after losing contact with family around Christmas
AT 24 YEARS OLD, HE IS THE YOUNGEST MAYOR IN PENNSYLVANIA. HE’S ALSO THE SUBJECT OF THIS WEEKEND’S EPISODE OF FOR THE RECORD, WITH A PREVIEW. HERE’S PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR ANCHOR MICHELLE WRIGHT. AHEAD SUNDAY MORNING ON. FOR THE RECORD, THE YOUNGEST MAYOR IN CARNEGIE BOROUGH’S HISTORY, 24 YEAR OLD SAM BIGHAM SITS DOWN WITH ME TO DISCUSS HIS VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF THE COMMUNITY. PLUS, WE TALK ABOUT HOW CARNEGIE IS OVERCOMING FROM THE 2004 FLOODING FROM HURRICANE IVAN AND TWO DEVASTATING FIRES THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. SO THE TOWN IS BASICALLY TRANSFORMED FROM THAT POINT. OBVIOUSLY, WE’VE HAD FIRES. PAPA J’S BURNED DOWN IN 2018, I THINK, AND RILEY’S POORHOUSE BURNED DOWN LAST NOVEMBER. SO, YOU KNOW, WE’RE WE’RE PUTTING ALL THAT WORK INTO REVITALIZING CARNEGIE. AND THEN WE GET HIT WITH THESE TWO FIRES THAT REALLY DESTROYED TWO ANCHOR RESTAURANTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. I MEAN, RILEY’S IS SO IMPORTANT. NOT ONLY DID I WORK THERE IN HIGH SCHOOL, THE THE FORMER MAYOR, STACY RILEY, ALSO WORKED THERE IN HIGH SCHOOL. SO IT GOES TO SHOW JUST HOW PITIFUL OF A OF A BUSINESS THAT WAS TO THE COMMUNITY. IT’S AN ALL NEW. FOR THE RECORD SUNDAY MORNING AT 11 HERE ON CHANNEL FOUR. I’M MICHELLE WRIGHT, PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR NEWS, WEATHER AND SPORTS. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO START YOUR DAY. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR CONTINUES RIGHT NOW. AND ON THIS IMPACT DAY, GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF A LULL NOW IN THE SNOW SHOWER ACTIVITY ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. BUT I’LL SHOW YOU WHEN MORE FLAKES WILL POP BACK UP, PLUS JUST HOW COLD IT’S GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND. PLUS, SALT STRUGGLES AS THAT SNOW FALLS. SEVERAL COMMUNITIES IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY WERE DEALING WITH A SHORTAGE OF SALT COMING UP. THE REASON BEHIND IT, AND HOW OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE CHANGING THEIR SNOW RESPONSE PLANS. DEMONSTRATION DEVELOPMENTS. I’M JACKIE DEFUSCO IN WASHINGTON WITH THE NEW RESTRICTIONS THAT A JUDGE IS PUTTING ON FEDERAL OFFICERS IN MINNEAPOLIS AS PROTESTS CONTINUE OVER IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, THERE. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR THIS MORNING STARTS NOW 9:00 ON THE DOT, AS WE SAY. GOOD MORNING AND THANKS FOR WAKING UP WITH PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR I’M LILY COLEMAN. YOU KNOW PITTSBURGH’S ACTION WHETHER METEOROLOGIST JILL SZWED. SHE’S GOING TO GET OUR MORNING STARTED WITH OUR CERTIFIED MOST ACCURATE FORECAST. IT IS AN IMPACT DAY BUT THE WORST IS BEHIND US FOR NOW, RIGHT. MOST OF THE SNOW FALLING WHILE WE WERE SLEEPING LAST NIGHT. SO THERE’S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME WHERE THE SNOW IS NOT GOING TO FALL. YOU CAN PLAY A LITTLE BIT OF CATCH UP TO CLEAR OFF THE DRIVEWAY AND THE SIDEWALK, BUT FOR A FEW MORE ISOLATED SNOW SHOWERS INTO THE AFTERNOON. SO THAT’S WHY WE’LL KEEP THAT IMPACT DAY ROLLING HERE ON YOUR SATURDAY. BUT ONCE WE CLEAR THE SNOW OUT, WE ARE OPENING THE DOOR TO THE COLDEST AIR OF THE SEASON YET. OF COURSE, WE’VE HAD SOME OF THESE BITTER BLASTS ALREADY THIS WINTER. STILL EVEN COLDER AIR COMING OUR WAY TUESDAY. LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK IS A SEVERE WEATHER ALERT DAY, AS WE ARE PREPARING FOR SUBZERO WIND CHILLS THAT WILL LAST ALL DAY LONG. CHECKING OUT THE SCENE HERE ON THE RADAR. LAST LITTLE BIT OF FLURRY ACTIVITY WORKING THROUGH EASTERN INDIANA COUNTY. ALREADY STARTING TO PUSH THROUGH RAIN. ALSO CHERRY HILL AND EVEN BRUSH VALLEY AS WE CONTINUE DOWN THE RIDGES. STILL AROUND ALONG ROUTE 30, YOU’RE GOING TO FIND SOME PROBLEMS. ALSO, THE PA TURNPIKE HEADING AROUND DONEGAL, SEVEN SPRINGS TWO, AND THEN EVEN SLIDING BACK THROUGH FAYETTE COUNTY. STILL A LITTLE BIT OF SNOW FLURRY ACTION AROUND CONNELLSVILLE AND UNIONTOWN. IT’S MORE CLIMBING UP INTO THE RIDGES THAT YOU’RE GOING TO FIND SOME ACTIVITY RIGHT NOW. BIGGER PICTURE. CLOUDS ARE STICKING AROUND EVEN AS THE SNOW MOVES OUT. THAT CERTAINLY IS A SCENE OVER DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH. HOVERING AT 32. FEELS LIKE 26, THOUGH, WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A BREEZE AS YOU START TO FUNNEL SOME OF THAT WIND IN. WITH A FEW MORE SNOW CHANCES INTO THE AFTERNOON, WE COULD FIND SOME VERY LOCALIZED SNOW SQUALLS AND THAT REALLY COULD PACK A PUNCH WHEN IT COMES TO TRAVEL CONDITIONS. SO THAT’S WHY, EVEN THOUGH THE BULK OF THE ACCUMULATION IS DONE, STILL A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL LAST THROUGH 7:00 TONIGHT. IT IS FOR THE RIDGES THROUGH PARTS OF FAYETTE, WESTMORELAND AND INDIANA COUNTIES. ALSO CLARION, FORREST AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, TOO. SO WE’RE GOING TO QUIET THINGS DOWN THROUGH ABOUT 2:00, 3:00 THIS AFTERNOON, LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING HOURS. THAT’S WHEN A FEW MORE OF THOSE SNOW SHOWERS WILL FIRE UP. COULD SEE SOME LOCALLY HEAVY BURSTS OF SNOW THAT WILL LAST THROUGH ABOUT 8:00. AND THAT’S WHERE MOST OF THE ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATION WILL BE CONFINED. SO WE’LL TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT TODAY’S SETUP. AND OF COURSE, THAT REALLY COLD AIR THAT’S ON TAP FOR THE REST OF THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. YOUR 4-DAY PLUS 4 MORE FORECAST. ALL RIGHT, JOE, THANK YOU. AND WITH THAT OVERNIGHT SNOWFALL, PITTSBURGH MAYOR COREY O’CONNOR WAS SHARING THE CITY’S PLANS TO RESPOND TO THE WINTER WEATHER. HE SAYS THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS HAS PLOWS AND SALT TRUCKS WORKING IN THREE SHIFTS. NOW THROUGH 10 P.M. TONIGHT. MEANWHILE, PENNDOT AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES ARE RESPONDING AS WELL. PENNDOT OFFICIALS SAY THEY’RE MONITORING WEATHER REPORTS AND GROUND CONDITIONS. THEY SAY THEY DID NOT PRE-TREAT ROADWAYS BECAUSE THERE WAS ENOUGH SALT RESIDUE ON THEM. WHEN THE SNOW BEGAN. ON HIGHER VOLUME ROADS, CREWS WILL STAY OUT UNTIL THE SNOW IS OVER AND CLEANUP IS COMPLETE. PENNDOT ALSO ISSUED A WARNING URGING DRIVERS TO SLOW DOWN AND USE CAUTION IF VISIBILITY DETERIORATES. ALLEGHENY COUNTY OFFICIALS SAY THEY DEPLOYED 26 SALT TRUCKS AS SNOW AS THE SNOW FELL, AND THEY HAVE MORE TRUCKS THAT CAN BE DEPLOYED IF NECESSARY. NOW, TALKING ABOUT SALT AND THOSE TRUCKS, SALT STRUGGLES CONTINUE FOR MANY MUNICIPALITIES IN THE SOUTH HILLS. THAT INCLUDES WHITEHALL, CASTLE, SHANNON, CARNEGIE AND SCOTT TOWNSHIP. THEY’VE ALL ANNOUNCED THEY’RE IN CONSERVATION MODE DUE TO A SALT SHORTAGE STEMMING FROM A DELIVERY DELAY. THIS MEANS PUBLIC WORKS WILL PRIORITIZE MAIN ROADS, HILLS AND INTERSECTIONS. THERE’S STILL NO WORD ON WHAT CAUSED THAT DELIVERY DELAY, OR WHEN THE SHIPMENTS OF SALT ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE, BUT WE’LL BE SURE TO KEEP YOU UPDATED AS SOON AS WE GET A NEW TIMELINE. AND JUST A REMINDER, YOU CAN TRACK THE SNOW BY USING OUR LIVE RADAR ON OUR FREE WTAE APP. IF YOU TURN ON ALERTS, YOU’LL BE FIRST TO KNOW WHEN CHANGING CONDITIONS MAY IMPACT YOUR PLANS. 904 IS OUR TIME. TURNING NOW TO OVERNIGHT NEWS. ONE PERSON HAD TO BE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AFTER A ROLLOVER CRASH IN PENN HILLS. THIS HAPPENED ON FIELDING DRIVE SHORTLY AFTER 1130 LAST NIGHT. ACCORDING TO FIRE CREWS AT THAT SCENE, THE DRIVER OF THIS WHITE SUV THAT YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN HERE HIT A PARKED CAR AND THEN ROLLED OVER ONTO ITS SIDE. THE PERSON HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM THE SUV. THEY WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL, BUT THEY ARE EXPECTED TO BE OKAY. THE PENN HILLS POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THEY ARE INVESTIGATING THIS CRASH. MEANWHILE, TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR SCREEN. A TRUCK ROLLED OVER AND FIRE SPARKED ON THE PARKWAY EAST LAST NIGHT. THIS HAPPENED IN THE INBOUND LANES BETWEEN THE PENN HILLS AND CHURCHILL EXITS. THE WILKINS TOWNSHIP VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY RESPONDED TO THAT SCENE AND SHARED THESE IMAGES. YOU SAW THE FLAMES AND NOW YOU SEE THE DAMAGE LEFT BEHIND. TRAFFIC WAS IMPACTED FOR NEARLY AN HOUR AS CREWS WORKED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE STRETCH OF THE PARKWAY IS BACK OPEN THIS MORNING, AND FORTUNATELY, EMERGENCY CREWS SAY NO ONE WAS HURT. WE HEAD TO HOMER TOWNSHIP NOW, WHERE FIRE MARSHALS AND POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A FIRE BELIEVED TO BE ARSON. THIS HAPPENED FRIDAY MORNING ON CLYDE AVENUE JUST BEFORE FOUR. NEW CHARGING DOCUMENTS ACCUSED DAVID BENEKE OF FIRING SHOTS AT HIS NEIGHBOR’S HOME BEFORE SETTING HIS OWN HOUSE ON FIRE. HE’S CHARGED WITH ARSON AND RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT. POLICE NOW BELIEVE THIS IS RELATED TO A MENTAL HEALTH EPISODE. THAT’S ACCORDING TO OUR PARTNERS AT THE TRIB. AGAIN, THANKFULLY HERE, NO INJURIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED. TURNING TO NATIONAL HEADLINES NOW, A JUDGE IS RESTRICTING WHEN FEDERAL OFFICERS CAN USE TEAR GAS AND OTHER CROWD CONTROL TACTICS. IN MINNEAPOLIS, WHERE PROTESTS OVER THE PRESIDENT’S IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN CONTINUE THIS WEEKEND. OUR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, JACKIE DEFUSCO JOINS US FROM OUR WASHINGTON BUREAU THIS MORNING, JACKIE. THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE DEVELOPMENTS YOU’RE FOLLOWING OUT OF MINNESOTA. THIS CASE IS AMONG SEVERAL LEGAL EFFORTS SEEKING TO REIN IN FEDERAL AGENTS, AS PRESIDENT TRUMP WEIGHS WHETHER TO EXPAND HIS LARGEST RECENT IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN. FEDERAL OFFICERS IN MINNEAPOLIS CANNOT DETAIN OR TEAR GAS. PEACEFUL PROTESTERS WHO ARE NOT OBSTRUCTING AUTHORITIES, ACCORDING TO A DISTRICT JUDGE. IN RESPONSE TO FRIDAY’S RULING, THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SAID AGENTS ARE PROTECTING THEMSELVES AND THE PUBLIC FROM, QUOTE, DANGEROUS RIOTERS, BUT THEIR TACTICS HAVE COME UNDER FIRE. WHAT WE’RE SEEING ON OUR STREETS IS UNNECESSARY ABUSES OF FORCE. THIS IS AN INVASION FOR THE SAKE OF CREATING CHAOS BY OUR OWN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. MEANWHILE, MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR JACOB FREY AND MINNESOTA GOVERNOR TIM WALZ ARE REPORTEDLY UNDER INVESTIGATION. THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING INTO WHETHER THEY IMPEDED LAW ENFORCEMENT THROUGH THEIR PAST PUBLIC STATEMENTS, ACCORDING TO THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. WALZ CALLING THE APPARENT PROBE AN AUTHORITARIAN TACTIC. THOSE DEVELOPMENTS AS MINNEAPOLIS BRACES FOR ANOTHER WEEKEND OF DEMONSTRATIONS, WHICH HAVE SEEN ESCALATING CLASHES SINCE AN ICE AGENT FATALLY SHOT A GOOD. IN A HIGHLY CONTESTED INCIDENT LAST WEEK, WHILE PEACEFUL EXPRESSION IS PROTECTED, ANY ACTIONS THAT HARM PEOPLE, DESTROY PROPERTY OR JEOPARDIZE PUBLIC SAFETY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP PREVIOUSLY WARNED THAT HE COULD INVOKE THE RARELY USED INSURRECTION ACT TO DEPLOY TROOPS TO MINNEAPOLIS, BUT APPEARED TO WALK THAT BACK ON FRIDAY. I DON’T THINK THERE’S ANY REASON RIGHT NOW TO USE IT, BUT IF I NEEDED IT, I’D USE IT. MINNESOTA’S ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS SAID THAT HE WOULD CHALLENGE THAT IN COURT IF NECESSARY. HE IS ALREADY SUING TO TRY TO BLOCK PRESIDENT TRUMP’S BROADER IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN IN THE MINNEAPOLIS AREA, WHICH HAS LED TO MORE THAN 2500 ARRESTS SO FAR, ACCORDING TO DHS. IN WASHINGTON, I’M JACKIE DEFUSCO. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. JACKIE. THANK YOU. BACK HERE AT HOME, THE CORAOPOLIS BOROUGH PRESIDENT CONFIRMED THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL NO LONGER WORK WITH ICE AMID PROTESTS IN MINNEAPOLIS BOROUGH. COUNCIL VOTED THURSDAY NIGHT TO TERMINATE THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS JUST APPROVED BACK IN DECEMBER. PRESIDENT MICHAEL HARRIS SAYS THEY HEARD FROM RESIDENTS BOTH FOR AND AGAINST THE AGREEMENT BEFORE THAT VOTE. HE SAID, QUOTE, IN MY OPINION, EACH COUNCIL MEMBER WORKED DILIGENTLY TO REPRESENT THEIR COMMUNITY’S INTERESTS, END QUOTE. NOW, CONGRESSMAN CHRIS DELUZIO CONFIRMED THAT HE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FOR A CONTROVERSIAL VIDEO INVOLVING MILITARY ORDERS LATE LAST YEAR. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER CARLOS FLORES WAS IN BEAVER FOR HIS RECENT VISIT TO AMBRIDGE AND HAS THIS STORY THIS MORNING. CONGRESSMAN CHRIS DELUZIO NOT SHY ABOUT HOW HE FELT FOLLOWING THE NEWS THAT HIM, ALONG WITH FOUR OTHER LAWMAKERS, ARE BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE DOJ AFTER THE UNLAWFUL ORDER VIDEO WAS PUBLISHED BACK IN NOVEMBER. THE LAW IS CLEAR. OUR TROOPS HAVE TO FOLLOW LAWFUL ORDERS, AND NO ONE CAN EVER REQUIRE THEM TO FOLLOW ILLEGAL ONES. IT’S SOMETHING I LEARNED AT THE NAVAL ACADEMY. YOU LEARN IT IN BOOT CAMP OR OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL, AND I THINK THE PRESIDENT’S RESPONSE TO THAT, JUST TO CALL FOR ARREST AND DEATH AND HANGING AND NOW SENDING THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AFTER US, IT’S DANGEROUS. IT’S DANGEROUS ATTACK ON FREE SPEECH. AND IT’S ATTACK ON THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH. I’M JUST NOT GOING TO BE INTIMIDATED. THE CONGRESSMAN ALSO TAKING TIME TO TOUCH ON THE RECENT OPERATION IN VENEZUELA. THERE ARE MANY OF THEM ACROSS THE WORLD WHO ARE BAD, BAD, ILLEGITIMATE PEOPLE. BUT I DON’T THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT THAT. I DON’T THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE EVEN BEEN ASKED, FRANKLY, BECAUSE CONGRESS HAS BEEN IGNORED BY THIS PRESIDENT. SO I THINK THE CONGRESS OUGHT TO BE STANDING UP FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND MAKE CLEAR THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL DECIDE TOGETHER. AND I DON’T THINK IT’S WORTH AMERICANS RISKING THEIR LIVES AND DYING FOR THIS IN VENEZUELA. AND AS THE SITUATION UNFOLDS IN MINNEAPOLIS FOLLOWING THE FATAL SHOOTING OF RENE GOOD, THE CONGRESSMAN BELIEVES CONGRESS NEEDS TO STEP IN. WHAT WE’RE SEEING OUT OF SO MANY FEDERAL AGENTS IS NOT GOOD POLICE WORK. I THINK IT’S COUNTER TO PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THEY NEED TO HAVE MORE GUARDRAILS SHOWING THEIR FACES, HAVING THEIR NAMES DISPLAYED FOLLOWING THE RULE OF LAW THE WAY WE EXPECT AND SEE OUR LOCAL COPS DO THEIR EFFORTS IN WASHINGTON TO DO EXACTLY THAT AROUND A SPENDING BILL DEBATE THAT’S HAPPENING FOR THIS AGENCY. THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY AND OVERSIGHT. YOU CAN READ MORE OF THOSE COMMENTS ON OUR WEBSITE. JUST HEAD OVER TO WTAE.COM RIGHT NOW COVERING BEAVER COUNTY IN BEAVER. CARLOS FLORES, PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. LIGHT RAIL SERVICE DOWNTOWN WILL BE SUSPENDED FOR THE NEXT EIGHT WEEKENDS FOR ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE. WORK BEGINS EACH FRIDAY AT 8 P.M. AND WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE START OF SERVICE EACH MONDAY THROUGH MARCH 9TH. STEEL PLAZA AND WOOD STREET STATIONS WILL BE CLOSED DURING THE WEEK. THIS IS THE FIRST WEEKEND FOR THE WORK AND CLOSURES PROCESS. SHUTTLES ARE AVAILAB
Pittsburgh woman reported missing after losing contact with family around Christmas
Updated: 1:48 PM EST Jan 17, 2026
Police are asking for help in locating a woman who last had contact with her family around Christmas. VIDEO: Top stories on Saturday, Jan. 17 Pittsburgh police said they are searching for Shahara Knapp, 33, who was reported missing by a relative on Saturday. Although she was just reported missing, officials said she last had contact with her family on Dec. 26, 2025. At that time, she was last seen in the Oakland area. She is described as 5’7”, 250 pounds, with brown eyes and short, dark brown hair. Police said she has the word “Money” tattooed on her chest, a lip piercing, and has a partially missing front tooth.Police said she is often known to travel to the Homewood area. Anyone with information is asked to call 412-323-7141 or 911. Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.
PITTSBURGH —
Police are asking for help in locating a woman who last had contact with her family around Christmas.
VIDEO: Top stories on Saturday, Jan. 17
Pittsburgh police said they are searching for Shahara Knapp, 33, who was reported missing by a relative on Saturday. Although she was just reported missing, officials said she last had contact with her family on Dec. 26, 2025. At that time, she was last seen in the Oakland area.
She is described as 5’7”, 250 pounds, with brown eyes and short, dark brown hair. Police said she has the word “Money” tattooed on her chest, a lip piercing, and has a partially missing front tooth.
Police said she is often known to travel to the Homewood area.
Anyone with information is asked to call 412-323-7141 or 911.
Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.