Dana Faulk was just going about his evening on Wednesday when everything changed in a heartbeat. His sudden and tragic death has left a massive hole in the hearts of his family, friends, and the entire Pittsburgh community. Nobody could have guessed that a simple drive through the West End would end in such a senseless tragedy. Now, those who knew him are forced to carry a heavy burden of grief.
The whole nightmare started just after 9 p.m. near the intersection of West Carson Street and Corliss Street. Dana was driving his Nissan Xterra with a passenger in the front seat, waiting at a regular traffic light. It was a normal summer night until another vehicle pulled up, and a completely pointless argument broke out over moving the car forward.
According to investigators, the driver of the other car began yelling at Dana to move up. Dana firmly stated he was staying right where he was, which apparently infuriated the other driver. The man snapped back with a chilling invitation to meet him in the upcoming tunnels. When the light finally switched to green, the tension only grew as both cars moved forward.
The confrontation followed them right into the Corliss Street Tunnel. Witnesses saw the cars moving slowly as the frustration boiled over. At one point, Dana tapped on his brakes to brake-check the tailgating vehicle behind him. That action pushed the situation past the point of no return.
In a flash of pure aggression, the suspect pulled his dark Kia right alongside Dana’s SUV. He didn’t hesitate before firing two gunshots straight through the open passenger-side window. The bullets hit Dana directly, causing him to immediately slump over in the driver’s seat while the shooter sped away into the night.
With nobody controlling the wheel, the Nissan Xterra slowly drifted off the road. It finally came to a stop on the sidewalk near Chartiers Avenue and the Sheraden Park and Ride. Emergency crews rushed to the scene after a ShotSpotter alert went off, but there was nothing they could do to save him.
While the community mourns a beloved soul, police moved incredibly fast to find answers. They used city surveillance cameras and license plate readers to hunt down the suspect’s car, which had a very distinct broken fog light. Within an hour, authorities caught up with the shooter, but the arrest cannot undo the profound sadness hanging over Dana’s loved ones today.
***
Leave a Reply