Niece of man seriously injured in fight asking why no one helped

YOUNGSTOWN

The big question LeTisha Underwood has about her uncle’s beating is: Why?

Why would someone encourage two men to fight? Why would someone pay money if one of them was knocked out? Why would someone live-stream the video on the internet? Why didn’t someone try to stop it or at least help her 64-year-old uncle before he was knocked unconscious.

“Why would you do something like that?” she asked. “What would enter in your mind that you would find it entertaining and not try to intervene?”

Her uncle, James Underwood, has been in St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital since late Monday, where he was taken by paramedics after he was seriously injured at a fight at the Shell gas station, 3200 Market St., on the South Side that was streamed live on Facebook.

Several people on the video can be heard encouraging Tracey Shuler, 47, of West Warren Avenue, to fight with Underwood – and Shuler was promised money if he could knock out Underwood, which he did.

Shuler was arrested a short time after police were called to the gas station and charged with felonious assault. He remains in the Mahoning County jail on $90,000 bond after his arraignment in municipal court Wednesday.

LeTisha Underwood said her uncle is a kind man and she and the rest of the family are angry about what happened.

The beating also brings back painful memories for her.

Read more about the matter in Saturday's' Vindicator or on Vindy.com.