Police investigating after Israeli flag damaged in North Side
PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR AT FOUR STARTS NOW. DO NOT LET THE BLUE SKY FOOL YOU. IT IS DOWNRIGHT FREEZING OUT THERE, AND IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. WE’RE EXPECTING THE COLDEST AIR OF THE SEASON. IT IS ON THE WAY. THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE FOR PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR AT 4:00. I’M KELLY SASSO AND GOOD AFTERNOON, I’M ANDREW STOCKEY. HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING AND WHAT WE’RE WORKING ON, BEGINNING WITH YOUR TOP FOUR STORIES AT 4:00. WE ARE GETTING YOU READY. THE COLD IS COMING OVERNIGHT TODAY. SNOW SQUALLS, THOUGH, WERE THE STORY. THIS IS A LOOK AT ONE OF THE BANDS THAT HIT RIGHT OUTSIDE OF OUR STUDIOS HERE IN WILKINSBURG. THERE WERE WARNINGS IN EFFECT ALL ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA THROUGHOUT THE DAY. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, TODAY WAS AN IMPACT DAY. TOMORROW, THOUGH, WILL BE A SEVERE WEATHER ALERT DAY. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT EXTREME WIND CHILLS, A MASSIVE RESCUE OPERATION IN MONESSEN. IT STARTED AS A POLICE PURSUIT IN NEARBY CHARLEVOIX. DISPATCHERS SAY, ACROSS COUNTY LINES AND ENDED WITH TWO SUSPECTS AND THREE OFFICERS OVER A HILLSIDE. THE RESCUE OPERATION TOOK ABOUT THREE HOURS, WHILE POLICE SAY A MAN IMPERSONATING AN ICE AGENT BROKE INTO A PITTSBURGH HOME, ONLY TO BE FOUGHT OFF BY A TEENAGER. POLICE SAY WILLIAM GREGORY OF CARNEGIE BROKE INTO THE HOME IN BELTZHOOVER OVER THE WEEKEND AND TRIED STEALING A VIDEO GAME CONSOLE, BUT POLICE SAY THE TEENAGER ACTUALLY KNOCKED GREGORY UNCONSCIOUS BEFORE OFFICERS GOT THERE. PITTSBURGHERS HONORING THE LEGACY OF DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR ON THIS HOLIDAY. SOME TAKING THIS HOLIDAY TO GIVE BACK. DAY OF SERVICE EVENTS ARE TAKING PLACE ALL ACROSS THE AREA, AND THOSE ARE YOUR TOP FOUR STORIES. AT 4:00 ON THIS MONDAY AFTERNOON. TIME NOW FOR MORE OF PITTSBURGH’S ACTION WEATHER METEOROLOGIST JILL SZWED HERE WITH A LOOK AT THE CERTIFIED MOST ACCURATE FORECAST. THIS IS GOING TO BE BRUTAL, RIGHT? THE COLDEST AIR OF THE SEASON YET. FACTORING IN THOSE GUSTY WINDS, TOO, IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE AS WE GO THROUGH THE EVENING AND INTO TOMORROW MORNING AS WELL. YOU CAN SEE A NUMBER OF SCHOOL DELAYS AND REMOTE LEARNING SESSIONS GOING ON TOMORROW BECAUSE OF THE COLD. IT’S ABOUT TO BLOW IN ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA LATE TONIGHT, WIND CHILLS WILL BE DIPPING DOWN IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 20 TO EVEN TEN DEGREES BELOW ZERO. NOT MUCH RECOVERY AS WE WORK THROUGH THE AFTERNOON OF OUR SEVERE WEATHER ALERT DAY. FEELING CLOSE TO ZERO ALL DAY LONG TOMORROW. ALREADY THOSE SINGLE DIGIT FEELS ARE SHOWING UP. FEELS LIKE SEVEN IN PITTSBURGH. MONROEVILLE. ALSO CRANBERRY A LONELY DEGREE AS WE HEAD UP INTO NEW CASTLE. MEANWHILE, STILL GREENSBURG, UNIONTOWN, MORGANTOWN. YOU ARE WORKING WITH THE DOUBLE DIGITS, BUT NOT FOR LONG. COLD WEATHER ADVISORY WILL GO INTO EFFECT AT 9 P.M., RUNNING THROUGH NOON TOMORROW. THAT DOES INCLUDE ALL OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. THOSE SNOW SQUALLS HAVE MOVED ALONG, BUT STILL WE ARE SEEING A FEW BURSTS OF SNOW SHOWER ACTIVITY. THIS IS PRIMARILY NORTH OF 422. AS YOU GET UP NEAR NEW CASTLE. ALSO BUTLER. SO STILL WE COULD BE SQUEEZING OUT A FEW FLAKES AS THIS COLD AIR CONTINUES TO RUSH IN. IT’S NOT JUST TODAY, BUT ALSO THEN LOOKING AHEAD TO WEDNESDAY, WE’LL SEE AN IMPACT DAY. MORE SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE, POSSIBLY EVEN SOME EMBEDDED SNOW SQUALLS AND STILL PLENTY OF COLD AIR TO COME AS WE WORK THROUGH THE END OF JANUARY. SO I HATE TO SAY GET USED TO IT, BUT WE REALLY HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION HERE QUITE A BIT COMING OUR WAY. IT ABSOLUTELY IS. YEAH. AS WE GO THROUGH THE END OF THIS MONTH AS WELL. YEAH. OKAY. JOE, THANKS SO MUCH. WE’RE GOING TO CHECK IN ONCE AGAIN SOON. AND HEY, KEEP IN MIND ANYTIME THE WEATHER GETS THIS COLD, THE CITY DOES OPEN ITS WARMING CENTERS, FIVE OF THEM AT HEALTHY ACTIVE LIVING CENTERS WILL BE OPEN TOMORROW. THE CENTERS ARE IN BEECHVIEW, GREENFIELD, HOMEWOOD, SHERIDAN AND ON THE SOUTH SIDE. AND THOSE ARE GOING TO BE OPEN FROM 8 A.M. TO 7 P.M. NOW, MANY ARE GETTING READY FOR THIS COLD SNAP. IN FACT, SCHOOLS ARE DELAYING EVEN CLOSING RIGHT NOW. OTHER PLACES ARE PREPARING FOR AN INFLUX OF CALLS. AND WHEN TEMPERATURES GET THIS LOW, IT CAN POSE ISSUES NOT JUST FOR YOUR HOME, BUT ALSO FOR YOUR HEALTH. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER SHELDON INGRAM IS JOINING US LIVE THIS AFTERNOON IN PITTSBURGH’S GREENFIELD NEIGHBORHOOD. SHELDON, WE KNOW YOU SPENT THE DAY TODAY TALKING WITH OFFICIALS OVER AT ALLEGHENY GENERAL HOSPITAL. WHAT ARE THEY EXPECTING TO SEE AS WE MOVE INTO TOMORROW? WELL, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, EMERGENCY STAFF, EMERGENCY ROOM STAFF AT ALLEGHENY GENERAL HOSPITAL, THEY EXPECT PEOPLE TO COME INTO THE EMERGENCY ROOM TO GET WARM BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO HEAT SOURCE OF THEIR OWN. AND THEN, OF COURSE, THEY’RE EXPECTING TO SEE PEOPLE COMING IN FOR FROSTBITE AND POSSIBLY HYPOTHERMIA. NOW, THEY SAY THAT THEY EXPECT THE TEMPERATURES TO DROP TO DANGEROUSLY LOW TEMPERATURES OR LOW LEVELS DURING THE NEXT WEEK. AND THEY SAY THAT PEOPLE WHO WORK OUTSIDE ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE, AS WELL AS THE ELDERLY. NOW THEY ALSO SEND OUT A WORD OF CAUTION DUE TO THE SALT SHORTAGE. THEY SAY THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE AWARE OF UNTREATED AREAS BECAUSE THEY WILL CREATE A HIGH RISK FOR FALLS AND INJURIES. AND BY THE WAY, WE ARE IN FRONT OF ONE OF THE CITY’S WARMING SHELTERS THAT WILL BE OPEN TOMORROW HERE IN GREENVILLE. BACK TO YOU IN THE STUDIO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, SHELDON, THANKS SO MUCH. WE’LL CHECK IN AGAIN COMING UP SOON. AND WE SHOULD ALSO REMIND YOU ABOUT LIEBER’S LAW IN PENNSYLVANIA. IT STATES THAT WHEN IT IS LOWER THAN 32 DEGREES, DOGS CAN ONLY BE TIED OUTSIDE FOR LESS THAN 30 MINUTES. VIOLATORS CAN BE FINED OR EVEN FACE JAIL TIME. AND OF COURSE, YOU’RE GOING TO WANT TO KEEP THE WTAE APP HANDY THIS WEEK. NOT ONLY CAN YOU GET THE FORECAST ON THE GO, YOU CAN ALSO TRACK CONDITIONS WITH THE LIVE RADAR ZOOMING IN ALL THE WAY TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU CAN ALSO SIGN UP FOR WEATHER ALERTS. THAT WAY, YOU STAY INFORMED. FIVE PEOPLE ENDED UP TRAPPED FOR HOURS IN THE FREEZING COLD AND RESCUE IN MONESSEN LAST NIGHT. WHAT A CRAZY STORY. HERE THEY WERE AT THE BOTTOM OF A 600 FOOT CLIFF THIS AFTERNOON. WE’RE LEARNING MORE ABOUT HOW THEY GOT THERE NOW. THE SCENE LAST NIGHT INVOLVED SEVERAL RESPONSE AND RESCUE TEAMS FROM MULTIPLE COUNTIES. IT ALL STARTED AS A VEHICLE BEING REPORTED STOLEN OUT OF CHARLEVOIX, AND THEN A POLICE CHASE. WESTMORELAND BUREAU REPORTER. DIORIO SPOKE WITH POLICE CHIEF EARLIER TODAY ABOUT THIS ENTIRE SITUATION. SO HOW DID THAT CHASE END UP AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT MASSIVE HILL? WELL, ANDREW, YOU HEARD KELLY MENTION IT. IT ALL STARTED WITH THAT REPORTED CAR THAT WAS REPORTED MISSING OUT OF CHARLEVOIX. AND A PATROL OFFICER FROM POLICE SAW THAT VEHICLE GOING THROUGH ONE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS HERE WHERE WE ARE NOW. AND THAT AND THEY SAW THREE JUVENILES INSIDE. AND THAT’S HOW THIS WHOLE SITUATION STARTED. THOSE THREE JUVENILES WERE FOUND IN THAT CAR DRIVING ALONG GRAHAM AVENUE HERE IN MONESSEN. AND THAT’S WHEN THE POLICE STARTED FOLLOWING BEHIND AFTER THE THREE GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND STARTED RUNNING THROUGH THE YARDS OF THE HOMES HERE NEARBY. ONE NEIGHBOR SCARED THEM AWAY FROM HIS YARD, SO TWO OF THEM WENT DOWN THE MASSIVE HILL AND ANOTHER IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. WHEN THREE OFFICERS FOLLOWED THEM DOWN THAT HILL TO DETAIN THEM, THEY REALIZED THERE WAS NO WAY OUT. TRY TO AVENUES OF USING UTVS. THEY DIDN’T ACCESS THAT, AND THAT’S WHENEVER THE MUNICIPAL FIRE CHIEF CAME UP WITH WE NEED WE SHOULD JUST USE ROPE RESCUE TO GO OVER THE HILLSIDE TO GRAB THEM. AND THOSE THREE OFFICERS AND TWO JUVENILES WERE RESCUED, BUT THEY WERE IN THE COLD. THAT FREEZING COLD FOR A LONG TIME. SO HOW ARE THEY DOING THIS AFTERNOON? ANDREW? THAT’S WHAT CHIEF US HERE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CALLS THE FORTUNATE SIDE OF THIS INVESTIGATION. YES. THEY WERE EXPOSED TO THESE FREEZING TEMPERATURES FOR HOURS. BUT AS OF TODAY, THEY ARE ALL OKAY AND WERE TREATED LAST NIGHT AFTER BEING RESCUED. AND SO IF OFFICERS DIDN’T PURSUE THEM DOWN THERE, IT MAY HAVE BEEN DOWN THERE FOR LONGER. SO THAT IS THE FORTUNATE PART HERE. AND THIS IS AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION. AND THESE JUVENILES ARE EXPECTED TO BE CHARGED. AND THEY’RE STILL THAT THIRD JUVENILE I MENTIONED WHO DIDN’T RUN DOWN THE HILL. WE HAVE THE UPDATES ON ALL OF THAT COMING UP IN THE FULL REPORT ABOUT THIS AT 5:00, COVERING WESTMORELAND COUNTY TONIGHT IN MONESSEN AT DIORIO PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. WHAT A STORY. OKAY. AND THANK YOU. MORE NOW ON ANOTHER ONE OF OUR TOP STORIES. AT 4:00 TODAY, A SUSPECTED BURGLAR GOT MORE THAN HE BARGAINED FOR WHEN HE BROKE INTO A PITTSBURGH HOME. POLICE SAY HE WENT IN BY IMPERSONATING AN OFFICER. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER MARCIE CIPRIANI LIVE. NOW JUST OUTSIDE THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY JAIL. SO, MARCI, SOMEONE INSIDE THAT HOME FOUGHT BACK HERE. THEY DID. ANDREW. AND THAT’S WHY POLICE SAY 35 YEAR OLD WILLIAM GREGORY IS NOW HERE IN THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY JAIL WITHOUT BOND. POLICE SAY HE PRETENDED TO BE AN ICE AGENT AND TRIED TO INTIMIDATE A FAMILY INSIDE THEIR BELTZHOOVER HOME. BUT THEY SAY HE WAS STOPPED BY A TEENAGER. ACCORDING TO THE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT, GREGORY BROKE INTO THE HOME THROUGH A KITCHEN WINDOW ON SATURDAY, THEN WALKED UPSTAIRS WITH A KNIFE IN HAND, YELLING THAT HE WAS WITH ICE. POLICE SAY GREGORY THREATENED A TEENAGER WITH A KNIFE AND TRIED TO TAKE HIS PLAYSTATION AND CELL PHONE BEFORE THE TEEN PUNCHED HIM, KNOCKING GREGORY UNCONSCIOUS, WHICH IS WHERE POLICE SAY HE REMAINED UNTIL THEY ARRIVED. I SPOKE WITH ONE NEIGHBOR WHO SAYS SHE IS GLAD THE FAMILY FOUGHT BACK, BUT STUNNED THAT THIS HAPPENED IN HER NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU HAVE SOMEBODY FRAUDULENTLY ACTING LIKE THEY WANT TO BE ICE, AND THEN COME IN AND INVADE THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE UP MY COMMUNITY. I AM AWARE THAT I BELIEVE THAT IS A HISPANIC HOME. YOU KNOW, AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS VERY DIVERSE, AND IT SHOULDN’T BE THAT WAY. YOU KNOW, I DON’T KNOW WHO WOULD WANT TO PERPETRATE SUCH FRAUD. WELL, MARCI, WE KNOW YOU WENT TO THAT FAMILY’S HOME TODAY. WERE YOU ABLE TO SPEAK WITH THEM AT ALL ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED OR HOW THEY’RE DOING AFTER THIS? YEAH. KELLY, WE DID COMMUNICATE, BUT THE FAMILY DOES NOT SPEAK ENGLISH. HOWEVER, THEY DID TELL ME THAT THE BOY WHO FOUGHT BACK IS A 17 YEAR OLD, AND THEY SAY THEIR FAMILY IS OKAY. AS FOR THE SUSPECT, WILLIAM GREGORY, WHO WAS HERE AT THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY JAIL, HE IS CHARGED WITH ETHNIC INTIMIDATION AS WELL AS ROBBERY AND BURGLARY. COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY FROM THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY JAIL, MARCIE CIPRIANI PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. ALL RIGHT, MARCI, THANK YOU. TENSIONS ARE BOILING IN MINNESOTA NEARLY TEN DAYS AGO, AN ICE OFFICER SHOT AND KILLED A WOMAN NAMED RENEE. GOOD. PROTESTERS TURNING OUT IN THE FREEZING COLD TODAY AND OVER THE WEEKEND WITH ICE SAYING IT MADE THOUSANDS OF ARRESTS IN MINNEAPOLIS SINCE OPERATION SURGE BEGAN. HERE’S ABC REPORTER MICHELLE FRANZEN. ON THIS MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR HOLIDAY MARCHES CHAMPIONING THE CIVIL RIGHTS ICON. HALLELUJAH FOR THE IMMIGRANTS IN MY LIFE AND STANDING AGAINST FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OPERATIONS AND THE FATAL SHOOTING OF MINNEAPOLIS RESIDENT RENEE GOOD BY ICE OFFICER JONATHAN ROSS. IN NEW YORK CITY, A MARCH FOR JUSTICE ACROSS THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE. THIS ONE IN PHILADELPHIA, CELEBRATING ON THIS DAY TO TALK ABOUT STOPPING ICE. BECAUSE I KNOW WHERE MLK WOULD BE ON THIS DAY IF HE WAS STILL ALIVE. HE’D BE RIGHT HERE STANDING AGAINST WHAT THE REAL ENEMY IS RACISM. A SHOW OF SOLIDARITY WITH MINNEAPOLIS, WHICH HAS BECOME A FLASHPOINT FOR IMMIGRATION OPERATIONS, PROTESTS AND UNREST SINCE GOOD’S DEATH. HOMELAND SECURITY SAYS DHS LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS ARRESTED 3000 PEOPLE IN THE PAST SIX WEEKS. MULTIPLE ATTORNEYS ALLEGE SOME OF THOSE DETAINED DURING OPERATIONS AND PROTESTS, INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE U.S. CITIZEN, HAVE BEEN DENIED BY DHS THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO SEE AN ATTORNEY. IN A STATEMENT, DHS IS DENYING THOSE CLAIMS, ADDING ALL DETAINEES, QUOTE, HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AND LAWYERS, ICE OUT, PROTECT OUR ROUTE. DESPITE THE PROTESTS HAVE NOT STOPPED, COMMUNITY RESPONSE MEMBERS WARNING RESIDENTS WHEN ICE AGENTS ARE NEARBY AND TAKING DOWN VITAL INFORMATION OF THOSE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. YOU KNOW, VIDEOTAPE, DO CONSTITUTIONAL OBSERVING, BLOW WHISTLES. LET LET NEIGHBORS KNOW THAT ICE IS ON THE BLOCK AND IT’S NOT SAFE TO COME OUTSIDE. PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS HE DOESN’T PLAN TO INVOKE THE INSURRECTION ACT IN MINNEAPOLIS. FOR NOW. TWO DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY 1500 ACTIVE DUTY TROOPS ARE ON ALERT IN CASE OF DEPLOYMENT. MICHELLE FRANZEN ABC NEWS, NEW YORK. TODAY, AMERICA AND THE WORLD PAUSING TO REMEMBER THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR, THE CIVIL RIGHTS ICON WOULD HAVE TURNED 97 YEARS OLD THIS PAST THURSDAY. MANY PEOPLE USE THE DAY TO DAY TO VOLUNTEER, HONORING HIS LIFE BY GIVING BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITIES. THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT WE SAW HERE TODAY AS THE SOUTH HILLS INTERFAITH MOVEMENT IN BETHEL PARK. DOZENS OF VOLUNTEERS WORK SIDE BY SIDE TO HELP NEIGHBORS IN NEED. SOME OF THEM PACKED UP FOOD BOXES, OTHERS ASSEMBLED HYGIENE KITS, OR EVEN MADE FLOWER BOUQUETS FOR LOCAL NURSING HOMES. EVERYONE STEPPING FORWARD TO SERVE. ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP SOMEBODY GET OVER THE HUMP AND DO BETTER IN LIFE, IT’S IT’S WORTH IT. THE SOUTH HILLS INTERFAITH MOVEMENT WORKS WITH VOLUNTEERS, DONORS AND PARTNERS TO HELP SENIORS, THE UNEMPLOYED, THE WORKING POO
Police investigating after Israeli flag damaged in North Side
Updated: 5:07 PM EST Jan 19, 2026
Police are asking for help in identifying a man who they believe damaged an Israeli flag in Pittsburgh’s North Side neighborhood Saturday night. VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Jan. 19, 2026 Pittsburgh police said they are investigating an act of criminal mischief that occurred in the 1500 block of Buena Vista Street at 7 p.m.Officials said a man with long hair drove a white pickup truck with a cap over the bed and parked it near the victim’s home. He then pulled out a knife and slashed the flag multiple times before leaving the area. In a post on Facebook, police shared multiple pictures of the suspect and his vehicle (Photos below). Anyone with information is asked to call Zone 1 police at 412-323-7201 and ask for plainclothes detectives.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 identifying a man who they believe damaged an Israeli flag in Pittsburgh’s North Side neighborhood Saturday night.
VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Jan. 19, 2026
Pittsburgh police said they are investigating an act of criminal mischief that occurred in the 1500 block of Buena Vista Street at 7 p.m.
Officials said a man with long hair drove a white pickup truck with a cap over the bed and parked it near the victim’s home. He then pulled out a knife and slashed the flag multiple times before leaving the area.
In a post on Facebook, police shared multiple pictures of the suspect and his vehicle (Photos below).
Pittsburgh Bureau Of Police
Anyone with information is asked to call Zone 1 police at 412-323-7201 and ask for plainclothes detectives.
Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.