Vigil recognizes Youngstown's first homicide victim this year

YOUNGSTOWN — Breanna Bridges broke into brief laughter when she recalled a family vacation to Rochester, N.Y., in which she and her brother, Christopher E. Bridges, were engaged in a festive water-balloon and water-gun fight.

Before she knew it, several neighbors had joined in.

“I smashed a huge water balloon on him, then he told my dad, and I got into so much trouble. Then he and a bunch of the neighbors shot me with a water gun,” the Buffalo, N.Y., woman recalled.

That humorous incident when Bridges and her brother were children also represents one of the ways she wants people to remember her late brother, who was found shot to death in late January in a Republic Avenue home on the East Side. His death was the city’s first homicide of 2017.

Police were called to the home about 9:30 a.m. Jan. 25 by a friend of Bridges’ who came to the house and found him dead. Shortly after, officers called detectives, who in turn called the coroner’s office. Police continue their investigation, but have no suspects.

Bridges had a minor misdemeanor disorderly-conduct conviction in August. He was arrested Jan. 3 on misdemeanor charges of failure to control, no valid driver’s license and possession of drugs.

Despite those run-ins with the law and some people’s judgments of him, Breanna Bridges said her brother’s life was valuable, and no one had the right to take it, she angrily told about 50 friends, family members and others who came to a vigil late this afternoon at the Republic Avenue home to remember and honor Bridges, 22.

For the complete story, read Sunday's Vindicator and Vindy.com