Neighbors previously tried to 'evict' Warren man involved in today's standoff

WARREN

A 46-year-old man “despondent over a family matter” put a shotgun in his mouth and threatened to pull the trigger as Warren police stood by late Friday.

Paul Mazerik of 914 Hunter Street NW held the gun in that position in the front doorway of his house, then “slammed the door and went in the house,” a neighbor said of the incident that began at 11:30 p.m. and didn’t end until 6 a.m. today.

Mazerik surrendered to police, but only after the Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force SWAT Team arrived to assist the 20 to 30 officers from a variety of departments already there, neighbors said.

Ryan Goncz, who lives up the street from Mazerik, said it’s the second time Mazerik’s gunplay brought police to his house. He fired off a weapon at 9:45 p.m. July 22 and was charged with using weapons while intoxicated, according to court and police records.

“He scared the [heck] out of my son,” Goncz said of the July incident, adding that a neighbor circulated a petition afterwards asking that Mazerik not be allowed to live on Hunter Street anymore.

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