Greensburg, PA – Rostraver Police Department, in cooperation with the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office, announce criminal charges have been filed in a shooting incident that left a 4-year-old injured.  
On July 6, 2023, Rostraver Police and county detectives were called to Gaudio Drive in Rostraver Township for a 4-year-old shooting victim who shot himself with a handgun.
The child was flown to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and immediately taken into emergency surgery. Today, this child continues to receive constant medical care.  
District Attorney Nicole W. Ziccarelli said, “This was a tragic and unacceptable shooting that ultimately could have and should have been prevented. There is one simple solution to prevent these types of incidents from happening, and it is to store your firearms in a safe and secure location.”
Rostraver Police have been diligently investigating over the last several months and with the assistance of the District Attorney’s Office, criminal charges of endangering the welfare of children by a parent/guardian (F2) and recklessly endangering another person (M2) have been filed against Laura Steele and Michael Lynn.
After several interviews, detectives determined the handgun involved was kept on the floor in a bedroom of the home, unsecured and loaded.
Police confirmed both Steele and Lynn were home at the time of the shooting and heard a ‘pop’ from the bedroom and found the child bleeding on the floor with the handgun beside the child.
District Attorney Ziccarelli said, “This little boy will likely have to live with this painful reminder for the rest of his life. While we know we cannot prevent every crime, we have to find a way to protect our most vulnerable. My office is partnering with the nonprofit, Ray of Hope, to invite anyone from the community to receive a free gun lock as a way to ensure our firearms are secure.”
If you are in need of a free gun lock, I implore you to contact Lisa Goldberg at Ray of Hope at 724-875-2415 or by email: egoldberg@mhaswpa.org.