Background: The Planet Fitness at Crossroads Plaza in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania (Google Maps). Inset: Steven Heald (Pennsylvania State Police).
A chilling incident unfolded in Pennsylvania as a man allegedly shot his estranged wife’s new partner in the parking lot of a gym, then drove away without haste.
Steven Heald, aged 38, faces serious charges that include attempted criminal homicide, aggravated assault, and misdemeanor stalking. He is currently detained in the Westmoreland County Prison without the possibility of bail.
The Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office reported that around 1 p.m. on Tuesday, a confrontation occurred in the parking lot of a Planet Fitness located at Crossroads Plaza in Mount Pleasant. Heald is said to have approached the victim, exchanged words, and then fired three shots.
Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Steve Limani, as covered by Pittsburgh’s NBC affiliate WPXI, detailed the incident, saying, “He didn’t stop there. He stood over the victim, struck him several times, then calmly walked away, got into his car, and drove toward the Connellsville area.”
Connellsville is situated roughly nine miles from where the crime took place.
Upon arriving at the scene, police discovered the victim suffering from gunshot injuries to the shoulder, buttocks, hip, and thigh, in addition to multiple lacerations on his hand, face, and head, according to law enforcement officials.
Authorities said the victim was lucky to be alive and credited his care to a nurse who happened to be at the gym at the time.
“Without having a person with some expertise there immediately and all of the people that were trying to stop the bleeding and do the things to try and help keep [the victim] alive, there is a high aptitude that he would not have survived,” Limani said.
State troopers spoke with the victim, who reportedly identified Heald as his attacker, and police said witnesses and surveillance footage backed up the man’s account. They traced the black Ford truck that the shooter reportedly used to flee back to Heald, and as they went to his home, they learned he turned himself in at the Connellsville Police Department’s headquarters.
Heald had cuts on his knuckles and blood on his shoes but not his clothing when he surrendered, authorities said, per The Tribune-Review.
The motive behind the shooting, according to authorities: The victim was dating Heald’s estranged wife.
“Mr. Heald and [the victim] had had several conversations in the past, whether it be through text or in person,” Limani added. “Never had a violent act between the two of them, and it was known that [the victim] was in a relationship with Heald’s estranged wife.”
The trooper added: “There’s other ways to go around and overcome a relationship struggle than to try and take a violent act out on another person.”
The shooting victim is expected to make a full recovery, per WPXI.
Heald had a preliminary arraignment that same day. He is scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 21.
