Man faces charges in standoff

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

jgoodwin@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

The 20-year-old man at the center of the fourth police standoff in three weeks could be standing before a Youngstown Municipal Court judge as early as today.

Kevon Williams, of Ohio Avenue was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon by Youngstown police and members of the SWAT team after a lengthy standoff situation with police outside his North Side home. Police said he will likely be charged with domestic violence and inducing panic at his court arraignment.

John Elberty, commander of the Mahoning Valley Crisis Response Team, said Youngstown police received a call for domestic violence at the Ohio Avenue home, a duplex, early Tuesday.

Responding officers, he said, were told by a woman that she was forced out of the house while her newborn child, another young child and several other people were being held hostage by Williams.

Elberty said police set up a perimeter around the house believing the situation could turn deadly.

Elberty said there was a possibility of an AK-47 in the home.

A search of the home, however, by late Monday did not turn up a weapon, he added.

Within an hour of the initial call, police from Youngstown, Liberty, Howland and Boardman had two blocks of Ohio Avenue blocked off in either direction from the house. A mobile-command station was set up, and officers, via a sound system, were asking Williams to come out of the house peacefully.

Police continued attempting to coax Williams out of the house until about 10:35 a.m., when tear gas was fired into the residence. The gas apparently had little effect on Williams inside the home and officers again urged him to come out and surrender.

Police decided to make entry into the home just before noon, with about eight officers carrying riot shields heading for the front door. Minutes later, officers emerged with Williams, who had cuffed hands.

Elberty said the entire standoff situation was handled according to procedure.

“We go through a progression of steps to decrease injury to anyone. We went through our steps and realized [Williams] had switched apartments inside the duplex then made contact with some family members. After that he came out and surrendered peacefully,” he said.

Despite Tuesday’s scene at the Williams’ home, neighbors said he is usually a quiet, helpful man who does not cause any problems in the neighborhood.

Tameka Smith and Laken Cortese live next door to Williams. The women were awakened by police telling them to evacuate the building, but both women were shocked the neighborhood disturbance would be centered on Williams.

“For a while, it was just us girls living here and he would really come and look out for us,” Smith said. “He would come and give us rides with no problem.”

Cortese was equally surprised.

“He is a really nice guy. I had my window busted out, and he came over to check on me and make sure I was OK. He watched my house until I could get it fixed. That is the type of guy he is,” she said.

County court records show Williams was convicted of drug possession in September 2010 and sentenced to three years’ probation. City court records show arrests for fleeing and eluding, driving under suspension and drug abuse involving marijuana.

Williams is not the only person to hold area police at bay in the last several weeks.

Dennis Ray, 50, of Browning Avenue, has been charged with discharging weapons in the city, inducing panic and illegal possession of a dangerous weapon. He was taken into custody about 4:10 p.m. Dec. 15 after a standoff with police on the South Side.

Ray had an earlier standoff with police on the East Side, then eluded capture for more than 24 hours before the second standoff and capture.

Ray has been bound over to a Mahoning County grand jury on the charges.

On Dec. 6, Keith Jornigan kept police at bay in a Girard house after attacking his wife in Bristol Township and leading police on a high-speed chase. After a four-hour standoff, Jornigan was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.