Sharon man shot with BB gun

Two men who joined the dispute had more than just BB guns.

STAFF REPORT

SHARON, Pa. — A man was shot in the stomach after a dispute with three teenagers who were out looking for cats to shoot, city police report.

The shooting happened at 5:47 p.m. Thursday in the 200 block of Malleable Street, said police Chief Michael Menster.

The 49-year-old victim confronted the three teens, a 16-year-old from Youngstown, a 16-year-old from Sharon, and William Bagnall, 18, of Logan Avenue in Sharon, Menster said. The victim was angry that they were walking around shooting at cats with two BB guns, he said.

Menster said the confrontation escalated, with the victim poking at the teens with a stick. They shot him with the BB guns and he was hit eight to 10 times, Menster said.

The victim returned to his residence and got a shotgun, Menster said. He confronted the teens again, and they ran away. Then, a car pulled up and two young men got out, Menster said.

One of the men produced a semiautomatic pistol and shot about eight times at the victim, hitting him in the stomach, Menster said.

The victim fired back with his shotgun two or three times, Menster said, and the men fled on foot. Police do not know if they were injured. Two houses on the block were hit during the shooting, and no one was injured.

The victim was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center, where the bullet was removed and he was released, Menster said. Police were still interviewing the victim Thursday and had not decided whether charges would be filed against him, he said.

Bagnall was charged with aggravated assault and loitering and prowling at night. He was taken to jail after his arraignment in lieu of $15,000 bond.

The juveniles were taken to detention centers. The Youngstown boy is charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, loitering and prowling at night, and a curfew violation.

The Sharon boy did not have a BB gun, Menster said. He was charged with loitering and prowling and a curfew violation.