HOMICIDE Teen dies from injuries suffered in robbery try

A 7-year-old boy was visiting his grandfather at the store.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A 15-year-old boy shot in the chest during a robbery attempt Saturday afternoon at Atway's Market on the North Side has died from his injuries.
Eric Farmer of St. Louis Avenue died at 5:15 a.m. Sunday at St. Elizabeth Health Center, said Frank DeMain, a coroner's investigator.
The boy lived with a grandmother, the investigator said.
DeMain said a second injured boy, Jamond Robinson, 16, of East Midlothian Boulevard, was doing OK at the hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg. Robinson knew his companion's first name but not his last name, Demain said.
What happened
The attempted robbery took place around 5 p.m. Saturday at 552 Lexington Ave., police said. Farmer was found collapsed in the area of Foster Avenue and Broadway Street and taken to the hospital.
"It's shocking. They've been there more than 39 years at that store and never had any problems -- no serious problems," Youngstown attorney Neal Atway said Sunday. "My dad and uncle are still shaken up."
Atway said the store is owned by his uncle, Atway Atway. The lawyer said his 7-year-old son was visiting his grandfather, Ghaleb Atway, and witnessed what happened.
Neal Atway said the robbers jumped on his father, who tried to get out to call for help and get his grandson out of harm's way.
Ghaleb Atway, 65, was pushed to the floor when four robbers entered waving handguns, demanded money and told everyone to lie down, reports show. Atway Atway, 56, pulled a .357-caliber revolver from behind the counter and fired several shots at the robbers, who then fled, police said.
The case has been turned over to homicide detectives.
Neal Atway said his son keeps talking about what happened.
"I took him to the ER because he had ringing in his ears," the lawyer said. "He's still shook up. He's never seen anything like this -- none of us have. He just keeps repeating what they were doing. He got more scared when they started yelling, 'There's a kid back there!' and he thought they were coming to get him."
Atway Atway was taken to St. Elizabeth's with chest pains and later released. Ghaleb Atway was treated at Forum Northside Medical Center for a hand injury he sustained when pushed to the floor.
Police said Robinson showed up at Beeghly Medical Center in Boardman and was transferred to St. Elizabeth's. He told police he had taken a bus to the North Side and got off on Lexington.
The boy told police he entered Atway's Market to buy a soda and was shot in the leg by a gunman who said, "Don't let them leave or I'll kill you." Robinson said he ran to Belmont Avenue and called a friend who took him to Beeghly.
A police hold was placed on Robinson, who was in stable condition Sunday at St. Elizabeth's.
A third boy, 14, seen walking near his Fairgreen Avenue home, was pointed out to officers as an accomplice and taken to police headquarters downtown for questioning by detectives.
Farmer's death is the city's 13th homicide of the year. At this time last year, the city had recorded 11 slayings.
meade@vindy.com