Citizen and police action take 12 firearms and illegal narcotics from Warren streets

WARREN

Warren police explained today the way in which a shooting Tuesday afternoon on Brier Street Southeast is connected to a police chase, crash and arrest later Tuesday.

They also said 12 firearms and illegal drugs were confiscated through searches at two residences as a result of the investigation into the shooting.

The 3:20 p.m. shooting left Shawn Flowers, 50, of High Street Northeast with gunshot wounds, but police also learned that individuals fleeing from the shooting had gone to a home on the adjacent street, Burton.

Police also were called to the intersection of Pine and High streets downtown, where they received information about a vehicle “involved with” Flowers, police said.

Officers spotted the vehicle, and Shawndon Flowers, 22, of the same High Street address as Shawn Flowers, was inside the car. Shawndon Flowers fled in the vehicle, police said.

Detectives chased until the vehicle crashed at Paige Avenue and Forest Street Northeast. Shawndon Flowers fled on foot but was apprehended a short time later behind a home on Forest.

Shawndon Flowers’ mother was in the vehicle and was taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries suffered in the crash. Two other people in another vehicle not connected to the chase or shooting also were taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries suffered when Shawndon Flowers hit their vehicle, police said.

Citizens told police that two handguns had been located on Paige Avenue, and the handguns were recovered as part of the shooting investigation, police said. A search of the vehicle Shawndon Flowers was driving also resulted in the seizure of a digital scale, the drug Suboxone and a small amount of suspected heroin.

On Wednesday, police used a search warrant at the Flowers’ residence on High Street and found two rifles, a pistol-grip shotgun, three handguns and about 40 grams of suspected heroin in the home. They also found ammunition, a digital scale, packaging material and about $5,500 in cash.

Police have not said whether Shawndon and Shawn Flowers are related.

Shawndon Flowers was booked into the county jail on charges of felony failure to comply with a peace officer and being a felon in possession of a firearm and is awaiting arraignment on the charges in Warren Municipal Court.

During a search of the home on Burton, police found four firearms, ammunition, a small amount of suspected heroin, marijuana, about $2,500 in cash, digital scales and packaging material, police said.

Additional charges are still likely, police said.

“The vigilance and willingness to cooperate with the police department led to 12 firearms and illegal narcotics being taken off the streets,” police said in the press release.