Youngstown police probing 2 crimes involving gunmen

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

YOUNGSTOWN — Armed bandits committing crimes against senior citizens and young people alike are keeping city officers busy.

Police found a 61-year-old Hartford Avenue woman lying in the street on Oakwood Drive near Hartford just after she had been robbed at gunpoint at 11:45 p.m. Sunday. The woman was bleeding from her knees and was complaining of severe shoulder pain.

The woman told officers she pulled into her driveway and was getting out of the car when a male appearing to be in his late teens came from behind her garage, pointing a gun and demanding money. She said she was scared and just began to walk away from the man — telling him she did not have any money.

The woman said she saw another man, also appearing to be in his late teens, approach her from the front of the house as she tried to walk away. One of the men then snatched the woman’s purse from her shoulder while shoving her to the pavement.

Police, using a police dog, searched the area for the two men but found only contents from the stolen purse.

The woman was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center for treatment.

Police are also looking for three men in the attempted robbery of a 19-year-old South Side man.

According to police, the 19-year-old Hazelwood Avenue man was driving at Meridian and Vestal roads when he noticed a silver Grand Am or Grand Prix begin to follow him. The man said he tried to lose the trailing car by driving fast then went to his house, pulled into the driveway and turned off the headlights.

Shortly after pulling into the driveway, while still sitting in the car, the potential victim saw a man with his face covered and carrying a handgun running toward him from between nearby houses. The armed man began knocking on the car window demanding that the driver get out.

The 19-year-old man started his car and drove out of the driveway. He told police he noticed the armed man run back to a waiting car with two more masked men waiting.

Police were unable to find the men or the silver car.

jgoodwin@vindy.com