North Side man fires gun to make sure it still works

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A North Side man was taken to the Mahoning County jail after he told police he test-fired a gun in front of a New York Avenue home Tuesday evening to make sure it still works.

Police were called to Kensington Avenue near New York Avenue about 8:55 p.m. to check on a group of juveniles who purportedly were in the street causing trouble.

As officers were investigating that call, they heard a gunshot around the corner and drove up New York Avenue where they found 46-year-old Mack Hill standing in front of a home.

Reports said that when officers questioned him about the gunfire, he said he had fired a shot and was surprised he was in trouble. Reports said he asked officers: “I can’t just shoot once in the air? I just want to see if it [gun] works.”

Reports said there were at least 20 people outside at the time across the street, including several children. On the front porch of the home, police found a .38-caliber Detective Special revolver, 11 .38-caliber rounds and a .357-caliber round.

A records check showed the gun was not reported as stolen and that Hill has no criminal record that would prohibit him from owning a gun. He was charged with discharging a firearm in city limits and taken to the Mahoning County jail. Reports said the charge was upgraded from a misdemeanor to a third-degree felony because of the number of people who were outside when Hill fired a shot.

As police were searching they found Markle D. Williams, 56, and asked if they could search him. He told officers he had a crack pipe, and after the pipe was found, he was issued a citation for possession of drug paraphernalia and released, reports said.