Pittsburgh Tribune Review | By Rick Wills
Ralph Lopez talked by phone to Voltaire Meade just minutes before two men shot and killed Meade in his office Friday.
“I talked to him twice yesterday,” Lopez said Saturday, “the second time about 10 minutes before he was killed. I was about to head over there to do some work for him.”
Lopez, 46, of McKeesport is a mechanic who had been Meade’s friend for about 10 years.
Meade, 45, of Clairton and an employee were shot in the office of Meade Brothers Trucking Inc. on Fifth Avenue in McKeesport. Meade died Friday at UPMC McKeesport just after the 5 p.m. shooting. Police say the second victim is in critical condition.
Allegheny County police made no comment about the shootings yesterday, but said Friday that two men came into the company office and opened fire.
Meade’s family, contacted by phone yesterday, declined comment.
Meade, known as Volt, had long been a fixture in McKeesport as a business owner. People there expressed sadness about his death and concern and shock about how he died.
“I loved that guy. I loved him to death. Volt was a great guy, and this hurts like hell,” Lopez said.
Meade was a motorcycle enthusiast. Lopez often fixed Meade’s many motorcycles.
His company’s clients were primarily steel companies in the area, Lopez said. He owned the business with his brother, Keith Meade.
Kenneth Michael, 29 of McKeesport knew Meade through his friend, Meade’s cousin, Wesley Meade.
“It’s sad. They were good guys. They were always working. He was older, not some young guy who’s dealing drugs,” Michael said.
Another McKeesport resident, D’Amico Poindexter, 37, was visiting his brother Friday in an apartment building next to the trucking company.
“Stuff like this should not be happening in McKeesport. It’s a city that’s trying to rebuild itself. And this even happened in a place of business. It’s sad and it really looks horrible,” Poindexter said.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Allegheny County Police at 412-473-1300.
Rick Wills is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-320-7944 or at rwills@tribweb.com.
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