Complaint filed against Pavlik for August incident

YOUNGSTOWN — Detectives with the Mahoning County Sheriff’s office are investigating a complaint filed Oct. 14 by a Boardman man that ex-boxing champion Kelly Pavlik shot him in the arm with a pellet gun.

The report filed by the 41-year-old man said the incident took place Aug. 9 at Pavlik’s Sugarbush Drive home in Canfield and he did not seek treatment for the wound until the next day at St. Elizabeth Health Center.

Maj. Jeff Allen of the sheriff’s office said several people have been interviewed by detectives so far but not Pavlik. He said investigators are consulting with prosecutors during the investigation. No charges have been filed.

Allen said there was a reason why the man waited so long to file the complaint, but he would not say what that was, other than that the man was “unavailable” earlier.

In the report, the man said he was at Pavlik’s home digging a lake and he had his girlfriend with him. Besides Pavlik, 33, there were four other people present as well, according to the report.

The man said he went into the lake to test the depth and realized he was being shot at. Reports said the man turned and saw Pavlik holding a .22-caliber pellet gun. The man screamed, “That was my head,” then Pavlik raised the gun again and fired, hitting the man in the arm.

The entire incident was filmed on a cellphone and was sent to the victim through a text message. The others who were there were laughing and everyone there was drinking, reports said. Reports said the victim has turned his phone over to investigators.

The man got his arm treated the next day, reports said. Allen said that while hospitals are required to report gunshot wounds to hospitals, they are not required to report wounds from pellet guns.

Damian Billak, Pavlik’s attorney, said he and his client are aware of the investigation but he does not want to comment because the investigation is ongoing.