An 18-year-old Bentleyville student-athlete is facing homicide charges after a late-night shooting left a 21-year-old man dead inside a Washington County home.

The incident happened around 11:15 p.m. Sunday when dispatchers received reports of a shooting at a residence on Walnut Street in Ellsworth Borough. Pennsylvania State Police said troopers arrived to find Elijah Johnson, 21, of Carnegie, suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite immediate life-saving efforts, Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene.

Following an investigation, authorities identified Christopher Harper, 18, of Bentleyville, as the suspected shooter. Troopers said Harper and Johnson were acquaintances, and the deadly altercation stemmed from a dispute over a woman. “Early investigation shows Harper going into that residence, locating the female in the middle of the mixture with our victim, and then the dispute continues, which leads right to the shooting,” said Trooper Rocco Gagliardi.

Harper was later located and arrested in New Castle. He now faces multiple charges, including criminal homicide, burglary, recklessly endangering another person, and firearms violations.

Harper, a student at Bentworth High School, was a well-known athlete in the community. He played wide receiver and defensive back on the varsity football team and also competed on the school’s basketball team. He was on track to graduate with the Class of 2026.

The shooting has left both Ellsworth and Bentleyville reeling, as classmates and neighbors struggle to comprehend how a promising young athlete now faces life-altering criminal charges. Meanwhile, Johnson’s family is left grieving the loss of their 21-year-old loved one, whose life was cut short in what investigators describe as a senseless dispute that spiraled into deadly violence.

The case remains under investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police.