Attempted homicide and other charges have been held against a Lawrence County teenager accused of shooting at two others — one running and one in a vehicle — in a Butler neighborhood.

A neighbor at a preliminary hearing Monday for 19-year-old Brandon K. Fairtrace of New Castle recounted the daylight shooting March 1 near the Center Avenue Elementary School.

“I saw him fire twice, I believe,” said William Crilley, who was talking to a friend outside his then home in the 200 block of McClain Avenue when the shooting played out in front of him shortly after 3:30 p.m.

Crilley at the hearing pointed to Fairtrace as the shooter.

Prosecutors believe a drug deal gone bad sparked the shooting.

Butler police were called to the neighborhood for a report of “a male shooting a gun at another male and a vehicle,” Patrolman Anthony Fatta told prosecutor Mark Lope, a Butler County assistant district attorney.

Fatta saw the defendant running away from McClain Avenue and toward South Monroe Street and stopped him. The officer said Fairtrace matched the gunman’s description.

“He stated to me that he didn’t mean to do it,” Fatta said, recalling what Fairtrace immediately told him.

Fairtrace denied he had the gun on him but took police to where he had allegedly stashed it.

Police found the 380-caliber Hi-Point pistol in the area of the railroad tracks north of McClain Avenue, Fatta said.

The gun was loaded with three rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber.

Fatta said police searched the suspected shooting scene and recovered two spent .380-caliber casings — one on a sidewalk on McClain Avenue and another in the middle of nearby Rockaway Avenue. The casings were about 50 feet apart.

Police took Fairtrace to the station where he waived his Miranda rights and spoke to investigators.

He claimed two black males in a black sport utility vehicle picked him up in the area of East Locust Street.

“(The three) had a conversation about a quarter-pound of marijuana,” Fatta said, recounting the defendant’s story.

Fairtrace told police that one of the black males got out of the SUV and went to the rear of the vehicle, presumably to get a scale to weigh the marijuana the defendant allegedly was selling.

The teen said he got scared and tried to get out and “a physical fight ensued” with the other male, Fatta testified.

That male ripped a back pack, purportedly holding the marijuana, that Fairtrace had with him.

The male momentarily dropped the back pack, picked it up and took off running.

Crilley testified he watched a “dark-skinned fella” jump out of the SUV, followed by “a white guy wearing a blue hoodie and jeans.”

The “white guy,” who Crilley identified as Fairtrace, took off after the black male on the sidewalk.

About 35 feet after the chase began, the defendant stopped behind a white car parked on the side of the street, Crilley recounted, and “fired at the (black) kid.”

He said the defendant was “pointing the gun forward” when he shot.

Moments later, after the black SUV had taken off and passed him, Crilley said “it looked like (Fairtrace) fired once at the vehicle.”

During cross-examination, the defendant’s attorney, Stanley Booker of New Castle, challenged Crilley’s account.

Booker got Crilley to admit that he never got a look at the male driving the SUV and that he never saw Fairtrace pull the gun from his waistband, as police allege.

He said it appeared the defendant “pulled (the gun) off his person.”

Crilley also contradicted what police claimed he told investigators, that Fairtrace took a “tactical stance” behind the car when he fired his gun.

He denied he ever used that term.

Fatta, during Booker’s questioning, also conceded that Fairtrace never admitted he allegedly fired the gun at anyone.

According to the police complaint, the defendant claimed he only fired into the air.

Additionally, Fatta acknowledged that police have not identified either of the two black males nor have they recovered any evidence that Fairtrace had marijuana that day.

District Judge Pete Shaffer following testimony ordered Fairtrace to stand trial on felony charges of attempted homicide, aggravated assault, carrying a gun without a permit and conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance and a misdemeanor charge of reckless endangerment.

Fairtrace remains in the Butler County Prison on $250,000 bail.