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Canton Township man charged in separate shootings arrested

2 min read
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A Canton Township man accused in two separate shootings earlier this year, including one that seriously wounded a young girl, was arrested Wednesday night in Washington.

Maceo A. Saunders, who investigators have been searching for over the past several months, was taken into custody without incident about 6:30 p.m. by Washington police and the Washington County SWAT team, according to District Attorney Jason Walsh.

Walsh declined to say where in the city Saunders was arrested or how he was located.

Saunders, 26, of 1651 Weirich Ave., is facing two counts of attempted homicide and several other charges in connection with the two shootings in Washington.

City police said Saunders fired multiple shots at Daniel Becker in the 200 block of Ridge Avenue on March 10, striking him twice and seriously damaging his liver. A woman and three children were nearby at the time of the shooting, police said. Becker was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital and underwent several surgeries on his wounds.

On May 20, Saunders allegedly fire five shots into a car at Shannon and Ridge avenues, striking a girl in the backseat, police said. The driver of the vehicle, Trey Willis of Washington, was not injured, but the girl was hit in the leg and suffered serious injuries, police said. Walsh did not have an update Thursday on the girl’s injuries.

Police had been searching for Saunders since the two incidents.

A motive for the two shootings has not been made public, but Walsh said more information is expected to be released during Saunders’ preliminary hearing at 11:15 a.m. Sept. 29 before District Judge Robert Redlinger.

In addition to the two counts of attempted homicide, Saunders faces multiple charges of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and firearms violations. He is being held without bond at Washington County jail.

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