18-year-old charged with firing at police in overnight shootout by CelebrateErie stage

An 18-year-old Erie resident has been charged with three counts of attempted homicide and 23 other offenses following a carjacking in which authorities said he fled and fired at Erie police before officers shot him in downtown Erie early Friday morning .

The 18-year-old was injured in the shooting, which occurred near where the main stage for the CelebrateErie festival had been set up for performances starting at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. CelebrateErie went off as planned, the city said.

No officers were injured, the city said.

The defendant, Denali S. Kirkland, was arraigned on the 26 charges before Erie 3rd Ward District Judge Alison Scarpitti at about 6 p.m. on Friday. She ordered him held without bond at the Erie County Prison, according to court records.

Kirkland was hospitalized in stable condition at UPMC Hamot after the shooting, police said. He will remain at the hospital until he goes to prison.

Scarpitti arraigned him via video. She scheduled a preliminary hearing for Aug. 28.

Police said episode originated with carjacking

The incident that ended with the shooting started at 4:08 a.m. on Friday with the report of a carjacking of a 2006 Acura sedan at a gas station at the corner of Broad Street and Buffalo Road in Erie, according to the affidavit of probable cause that Pennsylvania State Police filed with the criminal complaint against Kirkland.

The carjacking victim said a masked man pointed a gun at him and ordered him to get out of the Acura, according the the affidavit. Police said the Acura headed west.

The state police are leading the investigation because the Erie police were involved in the shooting.

The Erie police spotted the westbound Acura at the corner of East 18th and Ash streets, and chased the car north on Ash Street. The chase ended when the Acura struck a tree in the sidewalk in the first block of East Fourth Street, between French and State streets, according to the affidavit.

The crash occurred just east of the area where the CelebrateErie main stage is set up on State Street between Fourth and Fifth streets.

Police said shootout occurred as suspect fled on foot

After the crash, according to affidavit, Kirkland ran south on State Street. As Erie police officers ran after him, according to the affidavit, Kirkland "turned around, facing the officers, brandished a firearm, and opened fire" at the officers, who are not named in the affidavit.

The officers "returned fire," according to the affidavit. Kirkland was hit — the affidavit does not state where — and he fell to the ground. He was arrested and taken to UPMC Hamot, about a block away on State Street.

Police found a handgun near Kirkland, and located a number of shell casings in the area, according to the affidavit.

Kirkland does not have a permit to carry a concealed weapon, and he also "is classified as a person not to possess firearms," according to the affidavit.

Contact epalattella@timesnews.com or 814-870-1813. Follow him on X @ETNpalattella .

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: 18-year-old charged with firing at police in overnight shootout by CelebrateErie stage