ALIQUIPPA, Pa. — An Aliquippa High School student has died after being shot by a federal agent during an incident in Beaver County, authorities confirmed Friday. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner identified the victim as 18-year-old Kendric Curtis, who passed away at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh just after 3 a.m. He had been airlifted there Thursday evening after sustaining critical injuries in the shooting.
The gunfire erupted around 6:20 p.m. Thursday at the Linmar Terrace apartment complex on Waugaman Street, according to emergency dispatchers. Curtis was found seriously wounded and quickly flown to Pittsburgh for treatment, but doctors were unable to save his life. His death has since drawn widespread attention and raised pressing questions about the events that led to the fatal encounter.
Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) are leading the investigation and confirmed that federal agents were directly involved. According to PSP, both the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were conducting a joint operation in the area at the time of the shooting. The ATF separately verified that one of its agents discharged their weapon. However, neither agency has provided details on the nature of the investigation or whether Curtis was a direct target.
Aliquippa Mayor Dwan Walker quickly addressed public concerns, stressing that local police officers were not responsible. “This wasn’t an Aliquippa officer-involved shooting,” he said. “It was an ATF-involved shooting. An agent from ATF was involved in this, but it wasn’t local.” Walker acknowledged the grief and frustration within the community and urged patience as investigators work to piece together the facts. “This is a fluid and active investigation. When we get all the facts that we need, we know justice will be brought forth,” he added.
A large police presence flooded the neighborhood following the shooting, with federal, state, and local agencies on scene. Alongside ATF and PSP, the Beaver Valley Regional Police Department, Aliquippa Police, and the Beaver County Sheriff’s Office responded. Mayor Walker underscored that every level of law enforcement is now involved in the case, promising that no stone would be left unturned in determining what happened.
Residents of Linmar Terrace described the moments of chaos that followed. Sandra Pope, who lives nearby, recalled hearing multiple shots before seeing teenagers running in panic. “They were cursing and they were pointing, and they pointed at a police officer and they said, ‘that’s the one that shot him,’” she said. With the investigation ongoing and questions about accountability mounting, the community of Aliquippa remains shaken, waiting for answers about why an 18-year-old student’s life ended in gunfire.