Shooting victim has warrants,drugs found in clothes

Victim told police he was shot trying to return a bag

Shooting victim faces charges

youngstown

A man wounded in a shooting somewhere on the South Side Sunday evening also faces drug charges after Humility of Mary Health Partners police found drugs in his clothes.

Leroy Timmogene Howell, 21, of Youngstown, faces charges in Youngstown Municipal Court of possession of drugs cocaine, possession of drugs marijuana, possession of dangerous drugs and a warrant for failure to appear on a driving under suspension charge.

He is being treated for a gunshot wound to the thigh. He was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center by private car about 9:15 p.m.

An investigator with the department’s Internal Affairs Division is also part of the probe because Howell was shot in front of a house on the South Side where a police officer lives, said Chief Rod Foley.

Foley said the shooting does not appear to be connected in any way with the officer but IAD will help in the investigation just to make sure.

Police were called to the hospital for a report of a gunshot victim and at first Howell gave officers a false name, reports said. Other officers, however, knew who he was and after awhile he gave his identity — but said he did not know who shot him or where he was shot.

After further questioning Howell said he was shot after he found a bag on the street and tried to give it to someone, only that person shot him because they thought Howell was trying to steal the bag instead of returning it, reports said.

Foley said officers were able to learn after talking to Howell where he was shot, which is when Internal Affairs was called, Foley said. He said the shooting was on the street in front of the officer’s home.

Besides the drugs, police also found $155 in cash in his clothes, reports said.

He is expected to be arraigned in the municipal court once he is released from the hospital.