Campbell man faces two assault charges

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

Two men were stabbed and one dog shot dead.

YOUNGSTOWN — A Campbell man will be arraigned today in Youngstown Municipal Court on two counts of felonious assault stemming from an incident that sent two men to a local hospital and forced police to shoot a dog.

Jeffrey L. Shugart, 36, of Hyatt Street, Campbell, was arrested Tuesday morning at a home in the 700 block of East Pasadena Avenue after a short chase by police. He is being held in the Mahoning County Jail.

According to police, officers were sent to the Pasadena Avenue residence just after midnight in response to a double stabbing. When officers arrived at the home, a woman standing out front told them that Lawrence Sinkfield, 22, of East Avondale Avenue had been stabbed in the house and taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center.

Another man, Derrick Duvall, 35, of Pasadena Avenue, also was stabbed inside the Pasadena home listed as his residence.

The woman standing in front of the house told police Shugart was the man responsible for the stabbings. Officers spotted Shugart running through the backyard of the house and chased him.

According to reports, Shugart ran into a rear entrance to the house, at the same time letting out three pit bull dogs. The dogs, according to reports, went after officers in an aggressive manner.

Reports say officers shouted at the dogs in an attempt to scare the animals away, but they circled around officers still barking and acting aggressively. One dog charged Officer Phil Chance, causing the officer to shoot the animal two times. The dog ran off but was found dead a few houses away.

Shugart came out of the back of the house with a bloody lip and blood-covered T-shirt shortly after the incident with the dogs.

Police spoke with several witnesses who were at the house before the stabbing. One witness said Sinkfield came out of the house before police arrived, saying he had been stabbed — followed by Shugart holding some type of knife.

A female companion of Sinkfield’s told officers Shugart gave her a hug and apologized. Reports say Shugart, on his way to the county jail, also told police he “didn’t mean to stab Derrick.”

Reports say officers tried to speak with Sinkfield at the hospital, but he turned his head from officers, refusing to speak. He is listed in stable condition, but may be held on a warrant out of Mahoning County Court.

Duvall was listed in critical condition and unable to speak with officers at the hospital.

jgoodwin@vindy.com