Prosecutors seek death penalty against man charged in deadly Pittsburgh-area workplace shooting

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Prosecutors will seek the death penalty against a man charged with killing the mother of his children and injuring her new boyfriend during a workplace shooting earlier this year.

The Allegheny County District Attorney's Office filed its notice to seek the death penalty against Sean Black, citing aggravating circumstances.

Prosecutors said Black committed the crime while perpetrating a felony and knowingly created a grave risk of death to someone else. Prosecutors also said Black has a "significant history" of felony convictions involving the use or threat of violence.

Black is accused of shooting and killing 30-year-old Courtney Smith and a man at Tri-Arc Manufacturing along Fountain Street on the morning of March 19.

According to the criminal complaint, a witness told police Black and Smith had been together for several years and had three children together. They had recently separated, and Smith was dating the man who was shot, detectives said.

The morning of the shooting, police said the witness saw Black and Smith wrestling and watched Black shoot Smith multiple times in the chest. Black then shot multiple times at the other victim, the criminal complaint said.

While processing the scene, detectives found two firearms, according to the criminal complaint.

Black is charged with homicide, attempted homicide, aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person.

Gov. Josh Shapiro has said that he won't allow the state to execute any inmates while he is in office. The state has executed three people since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, as courts and governors have blocked every other death sentence so far.