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East Side shooting leaves one dead
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YOUNGSTOWN — A shooting at an East Side market left one city man dead and another in critical condition.
Police were called to the F&N Market on Shehy Street, near Bruce Street, at 5:01 p.m. Wednesday. When they arrived, officers found Tommy D. Jones, 32, of Gypsy Lane lying on his back in the dirt not breathing.
Jones died after being shot four times — once in each leg by his knees, once on his right side and once to the back of his neck, police said.
A second victim, Mister Jackson of South Jackson Street, 23, was also shot. He was taken to the St. Elizabeth Health Center by a female in her car. Police say Jackson was in critical condition late Wednesday. A hospital nursing supervisor wouldn’t provide any information on his condition.
Police found eight 9mm shell casings inside the market and near Jones’ body. Police said Jones and Jackson were shot in or near the front door of the market.
There were several people inside and outside the market at the time of the shooting, and dozens eventually congregated at the site, but police were unable to provide a description of the shooter or shooters.
A person who lives near the market told police that two men were seen running in separate directions after the shots were fired, said Police Chief Jimmy Hughes. One of the men got into a vehicle driven by another person on Truesdale Avenue and drove away, Hughes said the neighbor told police. The other fled on foot in a different direction.
Police are searching for a motive for the shootings.
The F&N Market has been a trouble spot for years, with people standing outside the store engaging in criminal activity, Hughes said.
There was gunfire exchanged just a few weeks before Wednesday’s homicide between “two groups of guys feuding,” he said.
Police have arrested people outside the market before, but it hasn’t stopped the violence, Hughes said.
“Shutting down the store and ridding the neighborhood of that store will be a priority,” he said. “We’ve had shootings there, drug dealing and other criminal activity. As fast as we round up some, they migrate back there. There have been beefs with people over drugs. But we don’t know yet the motive for this shooting.”
There were fatal shootings outside the market on Shehy Street in 2000 and 2005.
Jones is the eighth homicide victim in the city this year. There were 10 slayings in the city at this time last year.
skolnick@vindy.com