South Side shooting leaves Youngstown man critically injured

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Police are investigating a shooting that critically wounded a Youngstown man.

The shooting happened Sunday on East Lucius Avenue near Erie Street, city police reported. Police were called to the scene at 3:30 p.m. in response to reports of gunshots, a large fight and several wrecked cars.

When they arrived, they found Kenneth Woods Jr., 22, of West Judson Street slumped over in the driver’s seat of his car, a red Saturn. There was damage to the car, the rear window was broken out, and there was an exit hole from a bullet in the windshield.

Woods had a head wound and couldn’t speak, police said. He was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center in “very critical” condition, the police report said.

St. Elizabeth’s said late Sunday night that it would not release more information on Woods at his family’s request.

Police said they also saw a white Ford Explorer, unoccupied, facing east on the corner of East Lucius and Erie. Several windows were broken out of it, and there were numerous spent shell casings around it.

Behind Woods’ Saturn was a brown Pontiac Grand Am. It had heavy rear damage.

Police called detectives and the crime lab to the scene.