Inside The Panthers

Felony Charges Against Former Pitt DB Continue After Preliminary Hearing

Felony charges against former Pitt Panthers safety Paris Ford will proceed after a preliminary hearing in Clairton.

Dominic Campbell

Dec 26, 2019; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers defensive back Paris Ford (12) flexes after a defensive play during the third quarter against the Eastern Michigan Eagles at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 26, 2019; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers defensive back Paris Ford (12) flexes after a defensive play during the third quarter against the Eastern Michigan Eagles at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports / Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- Felony charges against Former Pitt Panthers safety Paris Ford will continue after a preliminary hearing in front of a magistrate judge in Clairton, Pa. on Tuesday, according to Alan Saunders of Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Ford was charged with one count of discharging a firearm into an occupied structure, one count of recklessly endangering another person and two counts of aggravated assault. The count of recklessly endangering another person is a misdemeanor, while The two counts of aggravated assault and the count of discharging a firearm into an occupied structure are both felony charges.

After the fact, police said Ford was involved in the incident and that they had identified him through witness interviews and surveillance video. Allegheny County Police posted on Facebook on March 26 outlining their account of the incident and saying they were searching for Ford. 

They set Ford's bail at $50,000 which he was unable to post, according to the criminal docket outlining his case. He was released on a surety bond later that day.

The two counts of aggravated assault differ, in that the first one listed is Ford attempting to cause harm and the second one listed is the use of a deadly weapon during it, which the police say happened on March 15 on the 800 block of Third Street in Clairton, Pa.

The Allegheny County 911 dispatch service received a report of shots fired at 11:40 a.m. that day. They alerted the police to a black Nissan Rogue picking up three Black males and departing from the area, prior to arriving on the scene.

Whitehall police identified the vehicle in question at 12:05 p.m., going northbound on Route 51. The officers turned on their sirens and lights to signal the car to pull over, but the driver of the Rogue didn't comply, leaving at a high speed. The Rogue came to a stop on the roadway near the intersections of Maytide Street and Route 88, with three men exiting the car. Whitehall police soon arrested two of the men who fled after a short pursuit on foot.

Police identified Ford as the last man exiting the vehicle, based on surveillance video they received from the Fairhaven United Methodist Church. The footage allegedly shows Ford getting out of the Rogue and possessing a black semi-automatic pistol in his right hand, before discarding the gun under a flight of stairs on the south side of the building. Detectives that conducted an investigation at the site found a Sarsilmaz B6C 9mm pistol, and a check of firearm records showed Ford as the owner of the weapon.

The driver of the Rogue then sped off for a second time, with Bethel Park Police in pursuit, before they lost control and crashed at the intersection of Clifton Road and Route 88. A police detective discovered a prescription bottle in the Rogue that had Ford's name listed on it. In the wrecked vehicle, a police detective found a prescription bottle with Ford’s name on it.

Ford, in the security camera footage from Fairhaven United Methodist Church, is shown wearing a distinctive outfit that matches video from the scene of the shooting.

Allegheny County Mobile Crime Unit scientists found more evidence of the shooting at the crme scene. They discovered seven bullet strikes to the rear west of the duplex, four at 803 3rd Street and three at 805 3rd Street. They also discovered two 9mm cartridge casings in the backyard west of 803 3rd Street and a projectile located in 805 3rd Street.

Ford had an excellent high school career in the WPIAL. He started out with Pittsburgh Central Catholic as a freshman in 2013, before going to Seton LaSalle Catholic High School in Mt. Lebanon, Pa. for his sophomore and junior seasons in 2014 and 2015.

His best season came as a senior for Steel Valley High School in 2016. The Ironmen finished undefeated and won the WPIAL and PIAA Titles in Class-2A.

He committed to Pitt in 2015 and came in as a four-star and one of the top players in the state in the Class of 2017.

Ford redshirted in 2017 and then played the next three seasons for the Panthers, 29 games total and all 13 in 2019 at safety. Ford also played the first seven games of 2020, but after a 45-3 loss to then ranked No. 3 Notre Dame at home on Oct. 24, he chose to depart the team and declared for the NFL draft.

After a poor showing at the Pitt Pro Day, no NFL team selected him in the 2021 Draft and he signed with the Los Angeles Rams as a UDFA, but they will would release him soon afterwards.

He then played with the New Jersey Generals in the USFL for the past two seasons, but when the league merged with the XFL to become the UFL after last year, they were one of four USFL teams contracted and they folded, leaving Ford without a team.

Ford recently signed with the Massachusetts Pirates of the Arena Football League and has played in three games so far. This includes posting seven tackles (six solo) in their most recent game, a 52-51 loss to the San Antonio Gunslingers at home on June 15.

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Dominic Campbell
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