20-year-old with criminal past indicted in shooting of 9-year-old girl

YOUNGSTOWN

For Devante Scott, detectives are hoping the fifth time is a charm.

The 20-year-old Cranbrook Drive man has three warrants for his arrest and was indicted Thursday in the April 2014 wounding of a 9-year-old girl who was sitting at a table in her home doing homework. He was arrested on an unrelated firearms charge late Thursday evening just hours after the indictment was issued, giving him five firearms-related offenses since 2012 and four pending felony firearms cases in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

“Let’s hope this time, the fifth time, is a charm,” said Detective Sgt. Michael Lambert, who spearheaded the investigation into the wounding of Kathryn Carter last year inside her East Judson Avenue home.

Scott was arrested in a driveway in the 400 block of West Dewey Avenue about 10:20 p.m. on charges of improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle, obstructing official business, possession of drugs marijuana, possession of drugs and the warrants.

Magistrate Anthony Sertick, citing what he termed the “general safety of the citizens of Youngstown,” set Scott’s bond at $55,000 during his arraignment Friday. Scott seemed genuinely surprised during his arraignment via video hookup when Assistant Prosecutor Shelli Freeze said he was wanted for the shooting last year, and said: “You mean I’m not getting out?”

Carter was hospitalized for several days after she was wounded.

Read more about Scott's criminal history and this case in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.