UTEP’s Stefon Jackson Linked To Pittsburgh Shooting Suspect
EL PASO, Texas – Federal investigators have linked UTEP basketball star Stefon Jackson to the Pennsylvania gunman arrested Friday afternoon.
As ABC-7 told you over the weekend, 20-year-old Willie Harden is wanted on two counts of attempted murder and three counts of aggravated assault. Those charges are connected to a shooting last month in a town right outside of pittsburgh.
According to federal documents filed in pittsburgh federal court, harden allegedly fled to el paso about a week ago to stay with Stefon Jackson who, according to federal documents, is Harden’s cousin.
According to federal documents, harden was allegedly on the run starting last month following this shooting incident outside of pittsburgh.
Just a few days later, though, a judge issued a warrant for harden’s arrest. When they couldn’t find him, the FBI got involved.
According to the documents, they were tipped that harden was headed to el paso on a greyhound bus to stay with his cousin — Stefon Jackson.
On Friday, before his arrest, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office says that Harden had been spotted at Memorial Gym on the UTEP campus.
Investigators then followed Harden a fast food restaurant on Mesa Street near Sun Bowl Drive where he was arrested.
Harden is still in the El Paso County Jail on the charges out of Pittsburgh.
Jackson has not been charged.
A spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s El Paso Field Office tells ABC-7 that no more federal warrants will be sought in this case against anyone.
It remains unclear tonight what these developments will mean for Jackson’s future on the Miners team or his prospects playing basketball in the NBA.
In a statement released to ABC-7, UTEP Atheletics Director Bob Stull acknowledges the investigation and the arrest.
He confirms that “(t)he individual who was arrested is a relative of Stefon Jackson.”
Stull said: “Stefon Jackson was not involved with the crime and no charges have been filed against him.”
Miner Head Basketball Coach Tony Barbee declined to comment to ABC-7. Attempts to reach Jackson have been unsuccessful.
BY MARTIN BARTLETT, ABC-7 I-TEAM
