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Matthew Steffy-Ross’ family speaks out after mass shooting on Pittsburgh's North Side

Steffy-Ross was one of the two teenagers killed in Sunday’s mass shooting on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

Matthew Steffy-Ross’ family speaks out after mass shooting on Pittsburgh's North Side

Steffy-Ross was one of the two teenagers killed in Sunday’s mass shooting on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

17-YEAR-OLD MATTHEW STEFFY-ROSS IN AN INTERVIEW YOU’LL SEE ONLY ON. 4 ASHL?EY ASHLEY: RIGHT, MATTHEW’S GREAT AUNT AND COUSIN SPENT THE AFTERNOON THWI ME, SHARING STORSIE ABOUT THEIR LOVED ONE. HIS GREAT-AUNT SAYSHE S SPOKE WITH HIM HOURS JUST BEFORE HE ATTENDED A PARTY AT THIS HOUSE BEHIND ME. >> I WILL SEE IN THE MORNING, OK? THAT WAS THE LAST TIME I SPOKE THWI HIM. BECAUSE WHEN I GOT THERE, THE NEXT MORNING, HE WASN’T HOME. I DIDN’T KNOW WHY. I JUST DIDN’T KNOW WHY. ASHLEY: IT WAS SOON AFRTE THAT BONNIE MCLAIN LEARNED HER GREAT-NEPHEW HAD BEEN SHOT AND KIEDLL WHILE ATTENDING A PARTY. BUT TODAY, MATTHEW’S EAGRT AUNT FOCUSING ON THE GOOD. >> HE HAD A FRIEND WHO REALLY HANOD CLOTHES. HE SAID TO ME WHEN HE GOT PAID, I AM GOING TO T GESOME PANTS AUNT BONNIE ,BECAUSE HE DOESN’T HAVE ANY PANTS. THAT WAS THIS KID. THE BIGGEST SMILE IN THE WORLD AS YOU CAN SEE. IF YOU G AOTNY PICTURES OF HIM, HE CARED ABOUT PEOPLE AND HE LOVED PEOPLE. AND HE ACTED UPON .IT ASHLEY: MATTHEW’S MENTOR LEE , DAVIS, TOLD US THE 17-YEARLD-O WAS READY TO LAUNCH A CLOTHING LINE, AND WANTED TO SURPRISE HIS GREAT AU.NT >> THE FIRST T-SHIRT THAT WAS GOING TO COME OFF THE LINE WAS GOING TO GO TO HIS AUNT BONNIE. IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR HIM TO HAVE THAT TSHIRT GO TO HER BECAUSE OF HOW IMPORTANT IN HIS LIFE SHE WAS. ASHLEY: MATTHEW'S’COUSIN, JEANA, GOT EMOTIONAL WHEN TALKING ABOUT THAT FUTURE. >> NO ONE DESERVES IT. BUT HE DEFINITELY DIDN’T. [CRYING] AND THAT IS HARD. BECAUSE IT IS HARD TO GO ON. ASHLEY: BONNIE SAYS HER GREAT-NEPHEW ACCEPTED EVERYONE. A BOY WHO WAS KIND AND DIDN’T JUDGE. AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT SHE WANTS THE COMMUNY ITTO DO NOW DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME. >> AND SO ALL I AM SAYG IN , PLEASE, PEOPLE, DO NOT PAINT THESE CHILDREN WITHNE O BSHRU EACH OF YOUR HAND TO THEM. REACH OUT YOUR HAND TO THEM IN KINDNESS. ASHLEY: BONNIE SAYS MATTHEW’S PARESNT WERE TOO DISTRAUGHT TO TALK TO US, BUT THEY WTAN THEIR SENSE STORTOY BE SHARED WITH EVERYONE. AS FOR THE T-SHIRTS, THEY WILL STILL BE GIVEN OUTEX NT MONTH IN HIS HONOR. REPORTING LIVE, ASHLEY ZILKA, PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS 4. ANDREW: ASHLEY, WE THANK YOU. THE OTHER VICTIM IS 17-YEAR-OLD JAIDEN BROWN. HE WAS ABOUT TO TURN 18 AND GRUAADTE FROM WOODLAND HILLS HIGH SCHOOL. LEE DAVIS MENTORED BOTH OF THEM, AND KNEW JAIDEN SINCE HE WAS A CHILD. >> HE WAS A GREAT YOUNG MAN. THAT HE HAD A BRIGHT FUTURE. HE DIDN’T DESERVE WHAT HAPPENED TO H.IM AND JUST, IT JUST LETSS U ALL KNOW THAT WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO AS FAR ASIO VLENCE PREVENTION THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. NOT JUST THE CITY, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
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Matthew Steffy-Ross’ family speaks out after mass shooting on Pittsburgh's North Side

Steffy-Ross was one of the two teenagers killed in Sunday’s mass shooting on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

The family of Matthew Steffy-Ross spoke exclusively to Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 and shared stories about the 17-year-old.Steffy-Ross was one of the two teenagers killed in Sunday’s mass shooting on Pittsburgh’s North Side. Watch the full story in the video player above. Steffy-Ross’ great-aunt, Bonnie McLain, said she talked to him just hours before the shooting happened.“I said I will see you in the morning. That was the last time I spoke with him because when I got there the next morning, he wasn't home, but I didn't know why. I just didn't know why. My neighbor came out, and she told me about it, about the mass shooting, I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach only because I hadn't seen him. He wasn't there,” McLain said.Soon after, McLain learned her great-nephew had been shot and killed while attending a party.On Tuesday, McLain wanted to focus on the good memories. “Matthew was a fun, loving kid that cared so much about everybody. Matthew would give you the shirt off your back. He had a friend who really had no clothes much and he said to me, when he got paid, 'I am going to get him some pants, Aunt Bonnie, because he doesn't have any pants.' That was this kid. The biggest smile in the world as you can see, if you look at any pictures of him, he cared about people and he loved people, and he acted upon it,” McLain said. Steffy-Ross’ mentor, Lee Davis, said the 17-year-old was ready to launch a clothing line and wanted to surprise his great-aunt.“The first T-shirt that was going to come off the line was going to go to his Aunt Bonnie. It was very important for him to have that T-shirt go to her because of how important she was to him in his life,” Davis said.“He finally had a goal. He had something that he was interested in. He had something he had a passion for, and he helped bring it out in him,” McLain said.Matthew's cousin, Jeana McLain, became emotional when talking about that future.“You know you always hear the stories, someone is turning around and getting their life together, and starting to see their own light and have hope for the future and the possibilities and something like this happens. That’s how I felt, like no, not Matthew, because no one deserves it, but he definitely didn’t, and that’s hard because it’s hard to go on,” Jeana McLain said.Bonnie McLain says her great-nephew accepted everyone; a boy who was kind and didn't judge. That's exactly what she wants the community to do now during this difficult time.“A child is a child. They are going to do things that children do, and I did, went to parties that I shouldn't have been at, did other things … and so all I am saying is please, people do not paint these children with all one brush. Reach out your hand to them. Reach out your hand to them in kindness,” McLain said.

The family of Matthew Steffy-Ross spoke exclusively to Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 and shared stories about the 17-year-old.

Steffy-Ross was one of the two teenagers killed in Sunday’s mass shooting on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

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Watch the full story in the video player above.

Steffy-Ross’ great-aunt, Bonnie McLain, said she talked to him just hours before the shooting happened.

“I said I will see you in the morning. That was the last time I spoke with him because when I got there the next morning, he wasn't home, but I didn't know why. I just didn't know why. My neighbor came out, and she told me about it, about the mass shooting, I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach only because I hadn't seen him. He wasn't there,” McLain said.

Soon after, McLain learned her great-nephew had been shot and killed while attending a party.

On Tuesday, McLain wanted to focus on the good memories.

“Matthew was a fun, loving kid that cared so much about everybody. Matthew would give you the shirt off your back. He had a friend who really had no clothes much and he said to me, when he got paid, 'I am going to get him some pants, Aunt Bonnie, because he doesn't have any pants.' That was this kid. The biggest smile in the world as you can see, if you look at any pictures of him, he cared about people and he loved people, and he acted upon it,” McLain said.

Steffy-Ross’ mentor, Lee Davis, said the 17-year-old was ready to launch a clothing line and wanted to surprise his great-aunt.

“The first T-shirt that was going to come off the line was going to go to his Aunt Bonnie. It was very important for him to have that T-shirt go to her because of how important she was to him in his life,” Davis said.

“He finally had a goal. He had something that he was interested in. He had something he had a passion for, and he helped bring it out in him,” McLain said.

Matthew's cousin, Jeana McLain, became emotional when talking about that future.

“You know you always hear the stories, someone is turning around and getting their life together, and starting to see their own light and have hope for the future and the possibilities and something like this happens. That’s how I felt, like no, not Matthew, because no one deserves it, but he definitely didn’t, and that’s hard because it’s hard to go on,” Jeana McLain said.

Bonnie McLain says her great-nephew accepted everyone; a boy who was kind and didn't judge. That's exactly what she wants the community to do now during this difficult time.

“A child is a child. They are going to do things that children do, and I did, went to parties that I shouldn't have been at, did other things … and so all I am saying is please, people do not paint these children with all one brush. Reach out your hand to them. Reach out your hand to them in kindness,” McLain said.