YOUNGSTOWN Hospitalized suspect is handcuffed to bed

The suspect told police he 'did something stupid' because he needed money.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- After trying to escape through a window in his hospital room, the suspect in a robbery attempt at Oven Fresh Pizza on South Avenue is now handcuffed to his bed.
Patrolman Malik Mostella, who had been in the hall Monday afternoon outside Israel Correa's room at St. Elizabeth Health Center, heard two thumps. As he entered the room to check out the noise, the officer saw Correa in midair, making a third try at breaking the window.
Mostella held Correa on the floor where he landed while nurses replaced the intravenous tubes he had pulled out. After getting the 24-year-old Forest Avenue man back in bed, the officer applied the handcuffs to make sure there would be no more escape attempts.
On guard: Officers now guarding Correa are staying in the room.
Correa showed up at St. Elizabeth's emergency entrance about 10:35 p.m. Saturday, roughly 15 minutes after a shooting at the pizza shop at 2609 South Ave. At first, Correa said he didn't know who shot him or where the shooting took place and didn't know who dropped him off at the hospital.
Suspect: Police, who considered him the robbery suspect, put a hold on Correa and seized his personal items. Reports show the bullet lodged in his liver.
When detectives questioned Correa, he told them he had been in the pizza shop and "did something stupid because he needed money."
Police collected a gun the suspect dropped inside the pizza shop and followed a trail of blood on the sidewalk. The trail ended just south of the shop's entrance near Indianola Avenue.
James A. Taafe, the man behind the counter at the shop told police: "I had to shoot him; he was gonna rob me."
Taafe said he'd been talking on his cell phone when a man entered the shop at a quick pace, crouched down and held a pistol at his right side. The suspect had a blue bandana covering the lower part of his face "cowboy style."
Taafe said he reached for his gun and fired one round as the suspect raised his weapon. Taafe then ducked behind the counter.
By this time, the suspect had dropped his gun and left and Taafe called 911.
meade@vindy.com