False-alarm suspect fails to show

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — The man charged with inducing panic and making false alarms in last summer’s evacuation of the downtown post office failed to show up Tuesday for a plea hearing, and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.

Judge Maureen A. Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court issued the warrant for the arrest of David Kopnitsky, 28, of Grafton, who was indicted in the July 30 incident and had been free on his own recognizance.

On that day, three 911 calls were made, alleging that robberies were occurring at different locations around the city, including the post office. All the reports proved to be false.

But dozens of police cars and officers, together with sheriff’s deputies, FBI agents and postal inspectors converged on the post office early that evening after being told a gunman attempted a robbery and that a shot was fired in the lobby, shattering a large window.

Thirty-six postal employees were evacuated for three hours. Although a post office window was shattered from the outside, possibly by a rock, no postal employees reported seeing a gunman enter the building.