Carnival workers arraigned in West Side shooting

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Bond was set at $100,000 each Monday for a pair of carnival workers from Virginia charged with shooting a man last week on the West Side.

Judge Renee DiSalvo set the bonds for Matt Reid, 34, and Shalita Blake, 30, during their arraignments in municipal court on a charge of attempted murder. A preliminary hearing for both of them will be next week.

The two were arrested early Saturday in the Wednesday shooting of a man at his apartment building in the 800 block of Steel Street.

The victim, who is in his 60s, was shot in the stomach about 2:30 a.m. He is in critical condition at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital.

Police said Monday they are not sure yet of a motive. They said they arrested the pair after receiving information from another case, but they would not say what that information was. Reid and Blake spent the weekend in the Mahoning County jail.

Assistant City Prosecutor Gene Fehr said Reid and Blake have criminal records in Virginia.

Police Chief Robin Lees said somehow the pair connected with the victim last week which led to the shooting, but he added he is still not sure about that specific connection.