Justin Vellucci's Avatar

Justin Vellucci

@jvthetrib.bsky.social

News reporter at @TRIBLive. Covering crime and communities in @Pittsburgh. Verified news, context and behind-the-scenes reporting. #FourthEstate

460 Followers  |  115 Following  |  678 Posts  |  Joined: 18.11.2024
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Posts by Justin Vellucci (@jvthetrib.bsky.social)

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Dog abandoned in filthy apartment in Rostraver dies; 2 women charged Authorities have charged two women with animal cruelty after a maintenance worker found a “lifeless and barely breathing” dog abandoned in a feces-covered Rostraver apartment in January. T...

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02.03.2026 02:45 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Two women are charged after a #ShihTzu was found β€œlifeless + barely breathing” in a feces-covered, unheated #Rostraver apartment, authorities said.

The dog, discovered in a closet, later was euthanized. Police allege it suffered starvation and hypothermia.
@triblive.bsky.social

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02.03.2026 02:45 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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β€˜She has always had a village’: Jeannette native Jasmine Jones returns home with Olympic bronze Jasmine Jones, the Jeannette native who competed in this year’s Winter Olympics in Italy, remembers the moment a childhood dream 15 years in the making came true. Jones, 29, was on her first Oly...

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02.03.2026 02:29 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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15 years. 1 medal.

#Jeannette native Jasmine Jones exploded w/ #TeamUSA in @milancortina2026.bsky.social β€” pushing a bobsled 3x her body weight + clinching #Olympic bronze.

Here? 150+ supporters, a surprise party and a village that never stopped believing. @triblive.bsky.social

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02.03.2026 02:29 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Islamic group calls Iran strikes illegal; Pennsylvania expats in Israel weather counterattack A Jewish social worker who called Pittsburgh home for 32 years spent most of Saturday sheltered behind a steel door and reinforced-concrete walls waiting for Iranian missiles to strike. Carri Golden, ...

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01.03.2026 16:05 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Carri Golden, who lived in #Pittsburgh's #Greenfield neighborhood for 32 yrs, spent Shabbat sheltering behind steel + concrete in Rehovot as missiles flew between Israel and Iran.

β€œNot quite just another day in Israel β€” but we’re safe,” she told
@triblive.bsky.social

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01.03.2026 16:05 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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From weave poles to world stage: Agility dogs vie in Latrobe for European Open As a wily border collie named Rose zipped above a fake-grass-covered ring in Latrobe on Saturday, the 6-year-old agility competitor appeared to rarely touch the ground as she glided through an obstacl...

triblive.com/local/westmo...

28.02.2026 21:53 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Move over, show dogs.

Nearly 300 canine athletes lept over hurdles and zigzagged btw weave poles in an @americankennelclub.bsky.social dog-agility event in #Latrobe.

One Border Collie ran 230 yards in 46 seconds. Another? Snatched 1st place by 0.08 seconds. @triblive.bsky.social

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28.02.2026 21:52 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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ME: Woman found dead in Perry North home died of ‘homicidal violence’ A woman’s death in December that Pittsburgh police deemed “suspicious” has been ruled a homicide. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office late Friday said Michelle Sturd...

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28.02.2026 13:41 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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The @alleghenycounty.bsky.social medical examiner has ruled the December death of Michelle Sturdivant, 44, in #Pittsburgh's North Side a homicide.

Cause of death: β€œmultiple blunt force injuries and extensive burns.” Police have made no arrests. @triblive.bsky.social

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28.02.2026 13:40 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Is PA-12 @summerlee.bsky.social’s to lose?

The progressive 'Squad' member faces a #MonValley mayor pitching moderation, two #Republicans, and a midterm many see as a #Trump referendum.

She’s got $1M+ in the bank. They’ve got ambition. @triblive.bsky.social

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28.02.2026 12:41 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Peters Township teen charged in sextortion scheme has counts reduced in deal with DA Attorneys and prosecutors Friday agreed to drop 267 charges against a Peters Township High School senior accused of soliciting and collecting nude and pornographic images and videos of teenage boys. Z...

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28.02.2026 12:26 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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267 charges dropped β€” 67 remain.

A #PetersTownship teen accused of running a sextortion scheme waived his hearing + stays jailed without bail. Police say 21 boys were targeted thru fake social media accounts.

DA: Nothing was pared back. Trial next. @triblive.bsky.social

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28.02.2026 12:26 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Police investigate reported climb of Gulf Tower in Downtown Pittsburgh Pittsburgh police said Friday they launched an investigation after officers detained — but did not arrest — a person who reportedly scaled the Downtown skyscraper that reigned for 40 years...

triblive.com/local/police...

27.02.2026 23:14 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Someone apparently took 'Downtown views' a little too literally.

#Pittsburgh police are investigating after a man reportedly scaled the 44-story #GulfTower β€” once #Pennsylvania’s tallest building β€” without permission. @triblive.bsky.social

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27.02.2026 23:13 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Peters Township teen charged in sextortion scheme has counts reduced in deal with DA Attorneys and prosecutors Friday agreed to drop 267 charges against a Peters Township High School senior accused of soliciting and collecting nude and pornographic images and videos of teenage boys. Z...

triblive.com/local/region...

27.02.2026 21:12 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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A #PetersTownship HS senior accused of running a catfishing + sextortion scheme saw 267 charges dropped in court Friday.

#ZachariahMeyers, 18, still faces 67 counts, including trafficking and possessing child sex abuse material.
@triblive.bsky.social

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27.02.2026 21:11 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Challengers test Summer Lee’s grip on congressional seat in Trump-era midterms A popular and polarizing Democratic congresswoman is staking her reelection bid on her record in a midterm election seen by many as a referendum on President Donald Trump. While Beltway experts say th...

triblive.com/news/politic...

27.02.2026 20:21 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Rep. @summerlee.bsky.social's reelection bid is shaping up as a midterm referendum on #Trump β€” but first she faces a #MonValley mayor pitching moderation over β€œSquad” politics.

With a 2-to-1 Dem edge and a $1M+ war chest, is Lee beatable in PA-12? @triblive.bsky.social

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27.02.2026 20:21 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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3 men face homicide charges in Penn Hills shooting death Police have arrested three men in the 2024 fatal shooting of a 21-year-old Penn Hills man. Allegheny County Police on Thursday afternoon said they charged Trevor Twyman, 23; Kelshon Lovelace, 24; and ...

triblive.com/local/penn-h...

26.02.2026 23:00 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Three men were charged Thursday in the 2024 fatal shooting of Vanderlee Stevenson, 21, who was gunned down near midnight on a residential road in #PennHills, @alleghenycounty.bsky.social police said.

For @triblive.bsky.social

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26.02.2026 22:59 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

πŸ“·: Louis Ruediger

26.02.2026 21:07 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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‘I probably won’t survive’: Pittsburgh firefighters train for deadly flashovers Pittsburgh fire Capt. Brian Tarbuck watched smoke billow from a rust-red shipping container as he described how the first responders training inside could spot the telltale signs of an impending &ldqu...

triblive.com/local/i-prob...

26.02.2026 21:06 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Inside a rust-red shipping container in #HighlandPark,
#Pittsburgh firefighters trained for flashovers -- split-second infernos crews rarely survive.

700+ firefighters ran the simulator this month. Even Controller Rachael Heisler suited up. @triblive.bsky.social

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26.02.2026 21:06 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
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Pitcairn woman playing with gun fatally shoots girl, 17, in her room, police say Several people were smoking marijuana and drinking tequila early Monday in a Wilkins apartment when a pistol one of them was waving around went off, fatally striking a 17-year-old girl in the head, ac...

triblive.com/local/woman-...

24.02.2026 23:34 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Drinking tequila and smoking #marijuana in a #Wilkins apartment turned deadly Monday when a woman β€œplaying” with a 9mm pistol fired a shot around 3:15 a.m., killing 17-year-old
#WoodlandHills high school student Ni’Dreyah Marshall.
@triblive.bsky.social

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24.02.2026 23:34 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Mt. Oliver cop rear-ends SUV with child inside on Route 51 Danielle Staub regularly takes the same left turn off southbound Route 51 when leaving her friend’s house in Pittsburgh’s Overbrook neighborhood. Staub’s usually uneventful route tur...

triblive.com/local/mt-oli...

20.02.2026 02:23 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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A #MtOliver police cruiser rear-ended an SUV on Route 51, totaling the vehicle while a child sat in the back seat.

Chief says it was an accident; driver questions how it happened. @triblive.bsky.social

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20.02.2026 02:22 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Downtown Pittsburgh assault near Kaufmann’s clock leads to 3 arrests Police on Wednesday arrested three of four suspects charged with punching and kicking a man dozens of times earlier this month while beating him in Downtown Pittsburgh near the landmark Kaufmann&rsquo...

triblive.com/local/downto...

18.02.2026 23:04 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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From #Pittsburgh police: 3 arrested in 'preplanned' Downtown beating near #Kaufmann’s clock.

The victim was punched 20–30 times, kicked as he lay on the ground in the fetal position β€” and 1 suspect allegedly pulled a gun.

A fourth suspect remains at large. @triblive.bsky.social

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18.02.2026 23:04 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0