Altoona teens allegedly involved in ‘gang war’, conspired to kill

One officer stopped Whitaker and another located Williams hiding under a vehicle on E. Bell Avenue. Both were taken into custody and searched by the APD. According to the criminal complaint, they found 33 .22 caliber bullets in Williams’s fanny pack, but they also noted that the large main area of the pouch was unzipped and empty while the bullets were in a smaller pocket that was still zipped.

Officers at the scene spoke with a woman who said she also heard gunshots. Police were granted entry and observed that a bullet traveled through a window in the back of the house and went through a pillow, a curtain and a double pane glass border beside the door to the kitchen, according to the criminal complaint. Police were able to obtain security footage from across the road and saw that one of the suspects had fled into the woman’s house. The woman claimed that the only people in the house were her and her boyfriend. In a search of the house, police found Rodgers sleeping upstairs. Officers found a discarded pellet gun in the trashcan and placed it into evidence, according to the complaint.

In another sweep of the area police located a live round for a 32 auto and a spent casing for a 32 auto. 

In an interview with police, Whitaker allegedly identified Stehley, Pezzuti as being involved in the shooting. He stated that there was “beef” between them and another group of juveniles. Whitaker added that one juvenile showed up and started shooting and then others pulled guns and started shooting as well. His phone was then seized by police and he cooperated and gave officers his passcode. 

According to the criminal complaints, they spoke with the Altoona School District Police and learned that the two groups were involved in a “gang war.” Rodgers and Williams had both allegedly been expelled from the school and placed in a cyber school program due to their fighting.

Once officers received search warrants for the phone they were able to find evidence that suggested that the shooting was a planned act of violence and was done with the intent to kill or seriously injure Rodgers, according to the criminal complaint.

Police added that the fights escalated in Dec. 2023 when Williams was attacked by Rodgers. The investigation revealed that Williams, Stehley, Pezzuti and Whitaker were allegedly following Rodgers and had intentions of killing him, according to the complaint.

On Feb. 8, detectives and officers with the Altoona Police Department along with Blair County detectives, Pennsylvania Office of The Attorney General agents and Logan Township police officers executed several search warrants throughout the area and served arrest warrants.

Pezzuti, Rodgers, Whitaker and Williams were arrested without incident and an arrest warrant is still active for Stehley. All are being charged with criminal conspiracy for attempted homicide except for Rodgers who is charged with aggravated assault.

Imeen Walker was released on $100,000 unsecured bail. Domenico Pezzuti is in jail with bail set at 10% of $100,000. Ezekiel Williams is in jail with bail set at $150,000 cash. Eli Rodgers was released on $50,000 unsecured bail.

Preliminary hearings are scheduled for Wed., Feb. 14, at Central Court in Altoona. The mother of Rodgers said that despite being charged, he is the victim and was the target of the shooting.