Man faces charges after being found with weapon near site of gunfire

YOUNGSTOWN — Police found a 9mm handgun on a man walking in the street early Sunday morning just minutes after gunfire was reported in the area.

Quintez Stokes, 20, of Hilton Avenue, is in the Mahoning County jail on weapons charges. He is expected to be arraigned later today in municipal court.

Reports said Stokes was one of three men spotted by officers about 2 a.m. Sunday in the first block of East Avondale Avenue, just minutes after sensors recorded gunfire in the area.

The three were patted down by police and they found the gun on Stokes with an extended magazine, reports said.

One of the men ran away and managed to escape, reports said.

Reports said Stokes he was holding the gun and he had found it on a set of nearby railroad tracks.

He told police he needed the gun because his uncle was recently murdered, reports said.

The other man was issued a warning for walking in the road and released.