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Two more indicted in August Winona Avenue homicide
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Police arrested two people Tuesday in an August homicide on the South Side in which 13 more people also are charged.
Darnell Wilkerson, 18, and a juvenile were arrested on charges of aggravated riot and involuntary manslaughter Tuesday morning in the death of 17-year-old Shawn Cortez.
Cortez was killed Aug. 17 on Winona Avenue during what has been described as a large brawl between two groups of people. Police arrested 13 people Aug. 28 in connection with the homicide.
Two of those arrested then, Dejon Jenkins, 19, and David Jenkins, 17, brothers, both face charges of murder in the death of Cortez. The remaining 11 people arrested then all face charges of involuntary manslaughter and aggravated riot.
Police and prosecutors say Cortez was killed in a fight between two families who had been feuding for some time. They said the groups fought the night before, then made arrangements to meet at a home on Winona Avenue. When the first group got to the home, they were outnumbered and fled, but someone in the group began firing a gun as people in the house chased them.
Cortez was in the pursuing group and was killed.
Lt. Doug Bobovnyik of the detective bureau, one of the investigators, said it took so long to charge the two who were arrested Tuesday because it took a long time to identify them.
Bobovnyik also declined to identify the juvenile who was arrested.
Most of those who were charged in August have trial dates coming up in April in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court before Judge Lou A. D’Apolito.
Bobovnyik said he does not anticipate anyone else being charged in Cortez’s death.
Police and prosecutors said several people involved in the brawl took video on their cellphones. On the videos, adults can be seen egging on teens and kids who were involved. The footage also shows Cortez being shot and falling to the ground.
Gunfire came from both groups, and at least 30 rounds were fired during the melee, police said. Investigators said they have heard conflicting stories and are not sure why the two groups are feuding.