Boardman cop shoots man who crashed into cruiser

Boardman cop shoots man who crashed into cruiser

BOARDMAN

Township police are investigating an early morning chase in which a suspect was shot by police.

At 12:21 a.m. today, police were called to the Shell Gas Station on Market Street at Shields Road on a report of an individual in the parking lot asking people for money. The same person had been suspected of theft from the store a few days earlier, according to police.

Before police arrived, the man, later identified as Robert Lee Swope, 30, left the gas station, traveling south on Market. Police saw the vehicle and stopped it in the lot of CVS on U.S. Route 224 at Market.

As the officer approached the vehicle, Swope reversed his vehicle, accelerated and crashed into the cruiser — nearly striking the officer who jumped out of the way, police said

Swope then accelerated forward toward the officer again and the officer fired his weapon into the door of the car, according to police. Swope then fled from the CVS lot with officers following.

The vehicle was finally stopped at the Shell station at Lockwood Boulevard and Route 224. It had been reported stolen from Youngstown.

Swope suffered a gunshot wound to the lower leg and was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center.

Police are consulting with the Mahoning County Prosecutor’s office and the incident remains under investigation.