YPD: Woman wounded in Sunday homicide is an innocent bystander

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — Police say a 73-year-old woman who was wounded Sunday in a shooting that killed a man on the North Side is an innocent bystander.

Lt. Mohammad Awad of the Detective Bureau said Tuesday that the woman was going outside to investigate gunfire at about 6:25 p.m. on Zents Avenue when she was shot by a man who police believe shot and killed Christian Oliver, 29, who was found in the street.

Awad said Oliver was shot and killed on the street and his body was left there. The woman, who lives on the street, was going to see what was happening outside when she was shot, Awad said.

“The suspect purposely did it,” Awad said.

She was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center to be treated for her injuries.

At this time, Awad said police believe there was only one gunman.

Oliver did not live on Zents Avenue, Awad said, a one-block street that runs east-west between Logan and Wick avenues on the North Side.

The man’s death is the 17th homicide of the year and the shootings bring the city’s total number of shootings to 59 for the year. In 2022, Youngstown had 22 homicides and a total of 71 shootings.

Anyone with information on Sunday’s shootings is asked to call detectives at 330-742-8911 or CrimeStoppers Youngstown at 330-746-CLUE.