A man opened fire and killed four people at a car wash early Sunday morning in Pennsylvania, while another woman suffered only minor injuries after she hid in the back seat of a truck during the shooting, state police said.

Police said suspected shooter Tim Smith was on life support at a hospital after the shooting at Ed's Car Wash around 3 a.m. in the Melcroft community of Saltlick Township, about 55 miles (89 kilometers) southeast of Pittsburgh.

They said he killed 27-year-old William Porterfield, 25-year-old Chelsie Cline, 23-year-old Courtney Snyder and 21-year-old Seth Cline.

Police earlier said that a fifth person was pronounced dead at a hospital, but they announced at a late afternoon news conference that the shooter remained on life support.

The survivor was not shot and suffered only minor injuries, they said.

Police said they were not able to speak with Smith at the hospital and they did not say whether Smith knew the victims. Family members of the victims told WPXI-TV that the shooting was the result of a domestic dispute. They claim the shooter was a man who used to date one of the victims.

Cayleigh Myers said she was friends with Seth Cline and described the construction worker as "very outgoing, very funny and very smart."

"You always had fun when you were around him," Myers said. "He would give his shirt off his back for you, anything, it didn't matter what it was, what time it was, if you need him, you could call him. He was everything."

Ed Bukovac, who owns the car wash, told the Tribune-Review that a neighbor called him around 4 a.m. Sunday and said something was wrong at his business. Bukovac said police were on the scene by the time he arrived and that he had few other details about what happened.

A man who lives nearby told the newspaper that he heard about 30 gunshots over a span of several minutes.

State Trooper Robert Broadwater said two of the victims were found inside a pickup truck and two others were found outside in the car wash's parking lot.

Three vehicles were towed from the location. Two were pickup trucks - including the one that two of the victims were found in - and the other was a sedan.

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It is rather odd to wash ones car at 3 in the morning. The picture looks like it has been raining as well. Maybe people hang out at car washes in Pennsylvania. Here is the link:

http://www.wlox.com/story/3736...wash-on-life-support

Not too far from where I live. My initial thoughts were drugs. Sounds like they are now thinking a domestic type deal. Fayette county is pretty rural and once the bars let out at 2 ain’t much to do. Will be interested to learn more details as the investigation proceeds.

Seems like the scumbag isn’t expected to live.

Car wash at 3am?

Not normal activities.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
Car wash at 3am?

Not normal activities.

I've washed my Jeep at that hour. If you've ever had to wait on line at the car wash on a sunny winter day in Utah, you might understand why. Though I should add that I was on my way home from picking up my wife at work when she finished at 0200.

I owned/operated a car wash for 14 years. Nothing happening there will ever surprise me again.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
Car wash at 3am?

Not normal activities.

A self-service car wash, probably. Most I know are open 24-hours. And since it was a Saturday night, they were probably out having fun all night before the shooting.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
Car wash at 3am?

Not normal activities.

All four rules of stupid were broken; Stupid people, doing Stupid things, in Stupid places, at Stupid times.

Oh, I know it was probably a 24 hour self serve car wash.

But my gut tells me they weren't there washing the car.

Not saying you can't wash a car then, but unless you are coming off the late shift, it's not common behavior.

Reminds me of that old saying, the only things open after midnite are hospitals and zippers .

I hate idiot ex boyfriends that are so broke up about the split, that this is their only option. Grade A idiots.

Guessing he shot himself at the end?

As far as car washes after midnight...common for nefarious activity. No surprise there.

ALWAYS post up a guard with a rifle and side arm plus two way communications when you wash your car at a public car wash after midnight.
I thought everyone knew that!

GGF

Sounds like this was in the middle of nowhere. Around these parts these types of car washes tend to be at the outer edges, off the main drag, of middle of nowhere communities.

Popular place for the younger crowds to hang out on weekends.

quote:

Originally posted by bubbatime:
I hate idiot ex boyfriends that are so broke up about the split, that this is their only option. Grade A idiots.

I lost a dear, close friend to an idiot ex-boyfriend. The lowlife is now serving a 70 year sentence in a Jersey prison. A much too kind punishment. The devastation this coward wreaked upon her family and friends will last a generation at least.

Anyway, I don't want to go down this road. Hate doesn't even begin to describe my feelings towards losers like this.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
Car wash at 3am?

Not normal activities.

That’s the one takeaway from Breaking Bad. Car washes are hotbeds of nefarious goings on.

Whenever I was in a new relationship I always asked about ex boyfriends/husbands and what they were up to.

Latest report says he shot himself.
He had an AR, a handgun and a .308?

Gives me a flash back from more than 30 years ago. On a police ride along with the shift supervisor in the middle of the night, the radio broke with "Officer needs assistance" (at the Blue whale - a car wash in Raleigh). Surface streets near 100 mph until the "slow it down" came. That place was notorious.

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:
Sounds like this was in the middle of nowhere. Around these parts these types of car washes tend to be at the outer edges, off the main drag, of middle of nowhere communities.

Popular place for the younger crowds to hang out on weekends.

Saltlick Township?

Only upside to this tragic event. At least it should have been easy to clean up the aftermath.