Morning Roundup: Charges filed in 2 East End armed robberies; Pittsburgh police welcome new cadets

Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, June 5.

Man charged in 2 East End armed robberies

Pittsburgh police have made an arrest in two recent armed robberies in the East End.

Nathaniel Weatherspoon, 32, faces felony charges of robbery, conspiracy, and misdemeanor receiving stolen property. He was also wanted on a parole violation.

Allegheny County Police and U.S. Marshals assisted with the arrest, Pittsburgh police noted.

Just before 12:45 a.m. Saturday, Weatherspoon entered Layne’s Chicken Fingers in Oakland, allegedly armed and demanding cash, according to police.

Authorities said he pulled off a similar heist approximately 16 hours later at DTLR apparel in East Liberty, during which he left behind a firearm that turned out to be a BB gun.

In both cases, police said he fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Weatherspoon is being held in Allegheny County Jail, where he awaits a preliminary hearing.

Investigators initially believed the two robberies may have been connected to a similar incident on June 7 at the Wendy’s in Bloomfield. Cara Cruz, public information officer for Pittsburgh police, said detectives are still combing through evidence to determine whether there’s a link.

Pittsburgh police welcomes 15 new cadets

Pittsburgh police added 15 officers to their ranks Wednesday at a graduation ceremony held at the Community College of Allegheny County.

The event celebrated their completion of nearly eight months of classroom training. Starting Monday, they will begin 12 weeks of supervised field training.

Courtesy of Pittsburgh police

Fifteen recruits graduated from the Pittsburgh police training academy on Wednesday.

Another 24 recruits joined the force in March after more than three years without a new officer class.

Despite the recent boosts, Pittsburgh’s force is dwindling. The numbers of officers stands at about 750 — down from 900 just a few years ago and less than half of the roll call in the 1990s.

Canonsburg man used drone to stalk girls, police say

Michael Brackman of Canonsburg is accused of using a drone to stalk girls at a playground on Franklin Avenue near Pittsburgh’s East End.

Brackman, 44, faces 18 counts of stalking and harassment as well of six counts of unlawful use of unmanned aircraft.

TribLive news partner WTAE reported that he stalked six girls with the drone, following them home. In one instance, the station reported, he attempted to see through the windows of one residence.

Parents reported the incidents to police after their daughters expressed concern about suspicious activity, according to WTAE.

Police told the station they’re unsure if Brackman intended to make physical contact with the victims.

He is being held in Washington County Jail on $10,000 bond, with a preliminary hearing set for July 2.

Man missing after falling into a Beaver County creek

Crews are searching for a man who fell into Connoquenessing Creek in Marion Township, Beaver County.

TribLive news partner WTAE reported that authorities kicked off the search Thursday night and, as of Friday morning, there was no word on whether he was found.

The man could not swim, officials told WTAE.

Final report on East Palestine derailment imminent

The National Transportation Safety Board will conduct its final board meeting on the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment at 9:30 a.m. June 25.

Board members will vote on findings, recommendations and the probable cause of the disaster.

Government agencies and residents continue their clean-up efforts after 38 freight cars derailed in February 2023, spilling toxic chemicals that forced the evacuation of nearly 5,000 residents and caused more than $800 million in damage.

Members of the public can attend in person or watch a livestream on the National Transportation Safety Board YouTube channel.