Three adults, one teen in court for role in fair fight

Report says 75 to 100 people were involved

CANFIELD -- Some of those involved in a fracas among up to 100 people on Saturday night, bringing a large police presence to the Canfield fairgrounds, appeared in court on Tuesday to answer various charges.

Three adults were in a Canfield court, while one of the seven juveniles whom a report stated had a gun on him, was in juvenile court to face a host of charges.

The juvenile, now reported to be 15, was ordered held without bond after his lawyer denied four misdemeanor charges and one felony inducing panic charge. He faces another juvenile court hearing in seven to 10 days when a bond will be considered, court officials said.

Sheriff's office officials would not release the names of the juveniles, but the three adults charged are Diamone Boykin, 18, Jalynn Boykin, 19, both of Youngstown, and Antwanett Jones, 19, of Conyers, Ga., who all face misdemeanor resisting arrest and disorderly conduct charges.

The three will appear again before Judge Molly Johnson on Oct. 14, court records show. The two Boykins were given a personal bond, while Jones' bond was set at $2,500 because she is from out of state.

The juvenile is charged with inducing panic, carrying a concealed weapon, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and criminal trespass.

INCIDENT REPORT

According to a report of the incidents released Tuesday, the violence appeared to take place on the south side of the fairgrounds before some witnesses reported shots being fired near Gate C.

No one apparently was injured in the melees, but reports showed two vehicles -- a 2020 Dodge Durango and a 2018 Kia Forte -- were found to have bullet holes.

The report said the first fight apparently started when two fair police officers observed four females fighting in front of The Beast ride near Milton Drive about 9:30 p.m. Saturday. The officers tried to break up the fight, but the females refused to stop. A sheriff's deputy tried to use pepper spray to subdue the combatants, the report states, but the females resisted by not obeying officers' commands and pulling away.

After the initial incident, a large group, estimated between 75 and 100, began forming and dispersing at various times, running away from officers, who tried to keep these groups from forming and "creating chaos."

Another skirmish occurred near Coitsville and Bishop drives where other individuals joined in. A bucket of cheese fries was hurled through the air and struck one of the officers, the report states.

While this incident was going on, fair police were alerted that shots were fired near Gate C, the report states. A Canfield city police officer pursued a male wearing a white hoodie near one of the barns. During the chase, the officer noted that he spotted a handgun under a Jeep. After the young male was apprehended, the officer located the weapon, a Fire Star 9mm handgun with no rounds found in the chamber or magazine.

The adults charged were issued court summonses, while all the juveniles except the one with the gun were released to their parents, the report states.

Greene said security was beefed up on the fairgrounds on Sunday and Monday and no other serious incidents occurred.

The fair board in a statement thanked the fair police department, the Mahoning County Sheriff's Office, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Canfield Police Department, and other law enforcement agencies "for all their work in keeping the fair a safe place."