Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Photo
Pete Bonilla, a Youngstown police officer, inspects bullet damage to a car belonging to a man who was shot in the arm at Jackson Street and Himrod Avenue on Monday afternoon.
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
A man was wounded in a drive-by shooting on the East Side on Monday afternoon.
Pedro L. Rodriguez, 21, of Byron Street, was shot at 1559 Himrod Ave. about 3:15 p.m.
Police said Rodriguez was shot in the arm and is expected to recover. He was taken by ambulance to St. Elizabeth Health Center.
Police said he had just finished mowing the lawn for the person who lives in the home. He was on the Jackson Street side of the house and loading his equipment into the trunk of a car when someone in a passing car fired several shots at him.
The car had four bullet holes in addition to a spent bullet in the bottom right-hand side of the driver’s-side door. Officers collected at least one shell casing on the Jackson Street side of the home.
Tony Bionci, a neighbor, said he just returned home and was getting out of his SUV when he heard the shooting.
“All of a sudden I heard, ‘bang, bang,’” Bionci said. “It sounded like fireworks. I could hear the kid screaming loudly, and I could see the bullet in his arm.”
Another neighbor who did not give his name said he was in his backyard and also heard the gunfire. He also said he thought it was fireworks.
Bionci said the victim was fortunate he was not injured more severely.
“He was very, very lucky,” Bionci said.
Detectives were called to the scene and are investigating.