Witness: Pittsburgh man played on park swings after North Side killing

An East Allegheny man accused of fatally shooting another man in Pittsburgh’s Spring Hill-City View neighborhood played on swings at a North Side park after the 2017 killing, a witness told police.

Justin Parrotte, 31, is facing homicide and gun charges for the death of John Miller in a nonjury that started Tuesday before Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey Manning.

A witness told police Parrotte sought out Miller because he was believed to be an informant in a previous drug case, according to a criminal complaint.

Parrotte and the witness, who wasn’t named in the complaint, met Miller on Jan. 25, 2017.

Parrotte and Miller walked alone on a set of steps near Vinial Street, the witness told police.

The witness heard several gunshots and walked away. Parrotte caught up with the witness, and they walked to near the National Aviary on the North Side and at a nearby park.

Parrotte, who was known to the witness as “Sosa,” got on a swing at a playground because he’d never been on swings, he told the witness, according to the complaint.

The witness identified Parrotte from a photo array during a Feb. 2, 2017, interview with police.

Another witness also identified Parrotte from surveillance video clips, according to the complaint.

Miller was shot several times and police recovered seven spent .40 cal. shell casings from the area of the city steps, police said.