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Man stabbed outside bar

YOUNGSTOWN — A patron told police he was stabbed in the left arm and back as he left a bar early Sunday.

William Crues, 31, of McClure Avenue, told police he was leaving the Somewhere Else bar at 2426 Mahoning Ave. when a fight started outside the bar.

Crues was treated at Forum Health Northside Medical Center, where an emergency-room physician told police Crues’ wounds were not life-threatening.

Arsons in New Castle

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — City firefighters were kept busy Sunday morning by two arsons and an attempted arson, all in vacant houses on the city’s lower east side.

The first fire, which was reported at 3:57 a.m., destroyed 616 S. Ray St., causing an estimated $35,000 damage. The fact the house was vacant and without utilities, and that it was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived at 3:59 a.m., point to arson, said Fire Lt. Larry Coyne.

The second blaze erupted at 6:36 a.m. at 310 S. Crawford Ave., while firefighters were still at the first fire, and it caused an estimated $10,000 damage. The fact that this blaze started on the outside of the house points to arson, Coyne said. There, again, utilities had been shut off.

Firefighters believe these two arsons are connected, Coyne said.

The third incident was an attempted arson at 114 S. Crawford Ave., which was reported at 10:03 a.m. There, someone tried to set the house ablaze by igniting four plastic Venetian window blinds, but the fires went out on their own, causing no damage. Multiple starting points indicate an attempted arson in this case, Coyne said.

There were no injuries in any of the three incidents.

OHIO

Police: Officer kills man who took hostage

TOLEDO — A man took at least one person hostage in his neighbor’s home and was fatally shot by an officer who tried to negotiate with him during a standoff that left three people wounded Sunday morning, police said.

The 32-year-old suspect, Richard D. Carr, had two semiautomatic weapons and exchanged gunfire with officers for 10 to 15 minutes at about 8 a.m., Toledo Police Chief Mike Navarre said. The home is along a residential street on the city’s north side.

John and Janet Murphy, who live in the home, and their son, Eric, were taken to local hospitals, police said.

One of them was shot twice in the chest and had life-threatening injuries, Navarre said.

John Murphy was listed as a patient at St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo on Sunday afternoon, but the hospital said it could not confirm his condition. Janet Murphy was listed there in fair condition.

Police said Eric Murphy was taken to Toledo Hospital in critical condition, though the hospital would not confirm that and said it had no information to release on a patient by that name.

Staff and wire reports