Neighbor faces murder charge in shooting death of man, 24

YOUNGSTOWN -- Ryan Page, accused of shooting his neighbor to death, was to be arraigned today in municipal court.
Jason Fields, 24, of 420 W. Earle Ave. was shot in the neck around 7:25 p.m. Tuesday at his South Side home. Police found him lying face down on the side of the house with his girlfriend holding a towel on his neck. Paramedics said he was dead when they arrived.
Page, 22, Fields' next door neighbor, drove to police headquarters downtown and turned himself in. After questioning by detectives, Page was booked into the Mahoning County jail on a murder charge.
Long-standing feud
Capt. Martin Kane said the two neighbors had been involved in a long-standing feud. He didn't know the nature of the feud.
Two witnesses told police that Fields and Page argued, and Page pulled a gun, possibly a rifle, and fired two to three shots. They said Page then drove off.
City Prosecutor Dionne M. Almasy said Wednesday that Page told detectives that he shot his neighbor in self-defense.
Almasy said the appropriate charge would be determined once she reviewed evidence and witness statements collected Wednesday by detectives.
Municipal court records show that Fields had charges of aggravated menacing pending and was due back in court next week. Fields was accused of threatening a neighbor (not Page).
Fields is the city's 28th homicide of the year, six more than all of 2004. There were 15 homicides at this time last year.