Hostage describes details in robbery

Two officers are on administrative leave pending a shooting review.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- A 75-year-old township man taken hostage by a robber who was shot and killed by police just wants to forget the episode.
John Malys was shopping Sunday morning at the Walgreens store at South Avenue and Midlothian Boulevard when a masked gunman entered the store.
Police Chief Jeffrey Patterson said the gunman, later identified as Raymond D. Walrond, 34, of East Judson Avenue, Youngstown, was looking for drugs and cash.
After getting money and OxyContin, Walrond started to flee but went back into the store when he saw township and Youngstown police.
Patterson said someone called police to report a masked gunman going into the store.
The shooting
Malys said Walrond grabbed him around the chest, holding him as a hostage and went back outside.
Malys, a regular at the store, believes the robber picked him because he was the closest person to the door.
Malys isn't sure how it happened, but he fell, escaping the gunman's grasp. When Malys regained his footing, he fled back into the store. He wasn't watching when Walrond engaged police, who fired back, killing Walrond.
"I'd really just like to forget it," Malys said of the ordeal.
Patrol Officer Kenneth L. Kasiewicz of Boardman, a four-year veteran of the department, and Youngstown Patrolman Russ Davis, who's been with the department 11 years, are on administrative leave while a shooting review proceeds.
That's standard procedure in accordance with departmental policy for officer-involved shootings, Patterson said. Kasiewicz also must undergo a psychological evaluation before returning to duty, as per department policy.
"We're working with Youngstown police and we expect results [of the shooting review] early next week," Patterson said.
Youngstown Detective Sgt. Rick Alli said Walrond was likely hit three times -- in the neck, side and leg.
Malys believes the robber's greed did him in.
"He went to the cashier, back to the pharmacy to get drugs and money and then to the office," he said. "If he would have just gone to the cashier and then left, he probably would have gotten away."
Records show that Walrond was convicted of aggravated robbery 15 years ago.