‘He was authentic. He was himself:’ Clairton shooting, crash victim remembered as positive force in community

CLAIRTON, Pa. (KDKA) – Family and friends told KDKA that a man killed after a shooting and car crash Friday night in Clairton was a well-known and beloved barbershop owner in Pittsburgh who was about to get married in two weeks. 

Loved ones are now left with many questions.

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey held back tears Saturday, thinking about his close friend, Victor Musgrove, who went by Vic.

“I mean, wake up this morning and get a call from a friend of mine that, you know, he was no longer with us is just, it’s a blow,” Gainey said. “It’s wild because you don’t expect him to be gone. He went to a football game. You expect people to come home from a football game.”

Gainey said the 51-year-old went to cheer on Westinghouse as the football team played Clairton in the first game of the season. 

Close family sources told KDKA Musgrove then went to the Village Inn on Miller by Farnsworth Avenue. Allegheny County Police believe that’s the area where shots rang out before Musgrove got in a car crash two blocks down near St. Clair Ave.

Barron Wheeler lives at the intersection.

“I heard this horrendous noise. It never seemed to end. It was crash, bang, crash, crash, boom,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler said he looked out his window to find a car knocked down two lights and a telephone pole and struck two other cars before running into a tree.

Investigators said they were called to the scene of a single-car crash just before 11 p.m. When they arrived, first responders found Musgrove inside, shot in the chest. They transported him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

“He was authentic. He was himself. He wasn’t trying to be nobody else,” Gainey said.

Gainey’s relationship with Musgrove goes back more than 40 years to their days growing up in the East Liberty area.

Eventually, about 20 years ago, Musgrove started his own business and opened VIP Styles, a barbershop on Smithfield Street in downtown Pittsburgh.

“He was someone that the kids could look up to and say, ‘Wow, you know, I can overcome my own challenges, my own life story,’” Gainey said.

Over time, Musgrove never forgot where he came from, taking every opportunity to give back to the city.

“He gave away book bags. He did free haircuts, you know, there was people that couldn’t afford haircuts, he would still do them,” Gainey said.

Now, Gainey hopes to keep his legacy alive as he searches for answers.

“There’s no reason why he should be gone. None,” Gainey said. “Don’t tell me you care about him, and you ain’t going to say what happened. Let’s get away from that notion.”

County police told KDKA the investigation is ongoing.

At this time, no one is in custody.

Anyone with information is asked to call the County Police Tip Line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS.