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3 charged following ‘plethora’ of gunshots

YOUNGSTOWN — Three young men were indicted Thursday in a May 17 incident in which they were found with firearms after fleeing from the scene of a home shot up on East Auburndale Avenue.

Indicted are:

• Davontae M. Miller, 19, Wakefield Avenue, Poland, on improperly discharging a firearm into a habitation or school safety zone with two firearm specifications, failure to comply with the order of a police officer with a firearm specification, improperly handing firearms in a motor vehicle, obstructing official business with a firearm specification and possessing criminal tools with a firearm specification;

• William E. Huff, 19, Marmion Avenue, on improperly discharging a firearm at or into a habitation or school safety zone with two firearm specifications, improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle and obstructing official business with a firearm specification;

• Dante A. Thompkins-Miller, 20, West Hylda Avenue and West Ravenwood Avenue, on improperly discharging a firearm at or into a habitation or school safety zone with two firearm specifications, improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, obstructing official business with a firearm specification and falsification.

If convicted of the charges, each man could get more than 10 years in prison.

THE ALLEGATION

Youngstown officers learned at 11:22 p.m. May 17 that about 30 gunshots had been fired the area of South Avenue and the 200 block of East Auburndale Avenue, both on the South Side.

An officer in the area spotted a Ford Fusion being followed by a Nissan Rogue with no tail lights. Both vehicles turned onto Palmer Avenue. Officers activated lights and siren to pull over the Rogue for not using a turn signal, but the Rogue did not stop.

During a chase, the Rogue hit a tree at Zedaker and Cambridge avenues while making a turn. Four occupants fled the vehicle on foot, one of them holding a firearm, according to a police report. The officer ordered him to drop the gun, but he threw it at the officer, who later captured the man in the backyard of a home at 875 Detroit Ave.

The man, identified as Miller, driver of the car, was wearing plastic gloves. Another officer chased two other men, capturing one of them, Huff. Two other men continued to run.

Officers took the suspects back to the crash scene and located a handgun in the area where Miller had thrown it at the officer, as well as an AR-15-style rifle next to the car door from which the men fled the Nissan, the police report states.

A second AR-15-style rifle was found between the front seats in the vehicle and blood was inside the driver side door. Miller and Huff were taken to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital to be checked for injuries.

Other officers went to Auburndale Avenue and found that a house in the 200 block had been “shot up with a plethora of spent pistol and rifle casings laying in the street and sidewalk,” according to a police report.

A witness saw man get out of a dark-colored truck and white car and open fire. The gunfire was captured on video, police said.

Police learned that a gunshot victim, Dante Tompkins-Miller, brother of Davontae Miller, arrived at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital. Tompkins-Miller admitted he was one of the four who fled from officers, a report states. Officers also found a fourth firearm in the console of the Nissan, police said.

No injuries were mentioned among individuals in the home that was hit by gunfire.

OTHERS INDICTED

These people also were indicted Thursday by a Mahoning County grand jury:

• David Z. Kelly, 37, Lisbon Street, Leetonia, aggravated vehicular assault, vehicular assault and two counts of operating a motor vehicle impaired;

• Paul A. Ostavitz, 31, Mahoning County jail, two counts of trespass into a habitation when a person is likely to be present and one count of aggravated drug possession;

• Shannnon L. Weintink, 38, Broadway Avenue, two counts of trespass into a habitation when a person is likely to be present;

• Samantha A. Wayne, 37, East Lucius Avenue, fentanyl related compound possession, operating a vehicle under the influence, possessing drug abuse instruments and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia;

• Douglas W. Brock, 62, West Texas Avenue, Sebring, having weapons while not allowed;

• Ramon M. Terry, 21, North Lakeview Avenue, having weapons while not allowed and improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle;

• Kenneth P. McGuire III, 45, Manhattan Avenue, improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle and carrying a concealed weapon;

• Zaylenn I. Brown, 22, Potomac Avenue, failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer and obstructing official business;

• Andreis D. Taylor, 23, Tyrell Avenue, improper handling firearms in a motor vehicle and aggravated drug possession with a firearm specification;

• Christopher Parker, 19, Tyrell Avenue, improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle;

• John H. Butler, 56, Manhattan Avenue, fentanyl-related compound possession, cocaine possession and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia;

• Glen W. Franklin, 31, Compass West, Austintown, failure to comply with the order of a police officer and obstructing official business, both with a firearm specification, improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, carrying a concealed weapon and tampering with evidence;

• Robert G. Grier, 52, Mahoning County jail, fentanyl-related compound possession, cocaine possession and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia;

• Keith B. Tillis, 34, Community Corrections Association, Market Street, tampering with evidence and obstructing official business.

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