Homicides greatly outpace last year's numbers

In Tuesday's slaying , bond was set at $1 million for the accused.
YOUNGSTOWN -- The city's homicide rate continues to climb: It's nearly double the number recorded at this time last year.
As of Thursday afternoon, the city had 29 homicides. It had 15 at this time last year.
At this rate, 29 homicides in 101/2 months, the city could have 33 homicides by year's end, 11 more than in 2004.
As one detective headed back out to investigate the Wednesday night slaying of Donald Hudson, another attended the arraignment of a man charged with murder in a killing that took place Tuesday night.
Hudson, 31, of Clarencedale Avenue, was found lying face down in grass near a sidewalk in the 900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard around 10:10 p.m. Wednesday. He died later at St. Elizabeth Health Center.
Police said Hudson was shot twice, in the hip and chest. He had been wearing yellow and black motorcycle gloves, but no motorcycle was found in the area.
A bullet was found in the grass near Hudson and a cell phone about 65 feet away. The Westlake Terrace housing project crime scene on the North Side was roped off for detectives and crime lab officers who collected the evidence, including Hudson's clothes after they were removed at the hospital.
Hudson is the city's 29th homicide of the year.
Detective Sgt. Daryl Martin said he had a suspect but needed witnesses.
Capt. Martin Kane said detectives are still working on a motive.
Earlier shooting
Detective Sgt. Jose Morales, meanwhile, attended the video arraignment Thursday in municipal court for Ryan Page. Page, 22, of West Earle Avenue, is accused of shooting his neighbor to death Tuesday evening.
Magistrate Anthony Sertick set bond at $1 million on the murder charge. Page will be back in court next Friday for a preliminary hearing.
In asking the magistrate to set a $1 million bond, Bassil Ally, an assistant city prosecutor, said the shooting was the result of an ongoing dispute. He noted that Page has no criminal record but added, "the crime speaks for itself."
Page's next-door neighbor, 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 drove to police headquarters downtown and turned himself in immediately after the shooting.
Ongoing dispute
Morales said Page and Fields had been arguing over a Sony PlayStation since August. The detective said Page alleges that Fields stole the game console.
A police report from August shows that Page lent the game to Fields, who became "irate" when asked to return it. The confrontation escalated with Page and his father being threatened, police were told.
Morales said Page and Fields got into another argument over the game console Tuesday. The detective said that both had guns but that Fields did not fire his.
Fields' live-in girlfriend, meanwhile, filed a burglary report Wednesday night. She expressed concern to police that the crime may be related to the killing of her boyfriend.
Police found a dining room window had been smashed with a brick and the lower panel pushed in to allow entry. The suspect then used the air-conditioning unit on the ground to stand on and get in through the window frame.
The rear-door window was also broken, and glass was found on the kitchen floor, police said. Nothing was reported missing.