BY SUSAN TEBBEN
stebben@vindy.com
YOUNGSTOWN
A teenager was shot during a basketball program at a South Side church which turned chaotic tonight.
The Martin Luther Lutheran Church was having a regular basketball program for males age 15 to 20 in the church gymnasium when a fight occurred and a shot rang out.
“Before I knew it a shot broke out and people were looking for cover,” said Pastor Paul Heine, who was on duty at the time, but away from the group of basketball players. “[The injured teen] came over to me and said ‘I think I’ve been shot.’”
Youngstown police said the boy was injured in the left leg above the knee, but that the injuries were non-life-threatening.
Heine said he wasn’t aware of what caused the incident or how many were involved, but no one else reported injuries.
The teen’s name is not being released because he is a minor, but Heine said the boy was conscious when paramedics took him out of the gym.
About 25 basketball players were in the gym at the time.
The program was started to give the teenagers a way to stay off the streets and something to do at night, Heine said. It is supported by parents, and adults are on duty during the program.
“I hope that this doesn’t discourage people from coming to the program,” Heine said. “We have had no problems with it up to this point.”
Comments
The South Side was deemed 'safe' by Sammarone, Foley, Sweirz, Gerscon and Ferris after they played Gestapo and shut The Coconut Grove down.
Why are shootings, fights,and other mayhem still happening?
these stupid kids dont care about their own life or anyone elses. at a church? these crazy kids are destroying youngstown. will it ever get better? these judges better start giving out more time for gun charges or its gonna be in their back yards!
Remember Clinton's solution to deterring crime was invest our tax $$ into Midnight Basketball?
I'll bet most of these hoodlums can pass as Obama's sons.
So they think a brawl ending in gunfire won't discourage people from attending? I don't think even those folks are that stupid. Might as well set up the metal detectors, hire an off-duty Youngstown cop or two to perform pat-downs, and inspect all gym bags prior to entering the facilities. Those hoodlums just saw this as an opportunity to have access to a free basketball court. I think they took the basketball term 'Run and Gun' a bit too literally.
Down here in the FL news, it is guns and killing all over the world. When and how is it ever going to stop?
A firing range is needed for these kids to be properly instructed in the use of firearms.