UPDATE | Police: Local rapper killed in Utopia shooting was targeted
YOUNGSTOWN — Investigators believe the 27-year-old man killed in a shooting early Saturday at a South Side nightclub was the attack's intended target, city police said Monday afternoon.
The man was a local rap artist who was performing alongside a Detroit-area rapper during the Friday night concert at Utopia Video Nightclub, Mayor Jamael Tito Brown said during a Monday afternoon media briefing, which was streamed live by WKBN.
"The subject just walked up and shot him and bullets just flew and witnesses standing by got hit," said YPD Lt. Ramon Cox.
The victim was later pronounced dead at a hospital. Authorities have not yet released the man's identity, and are still working to notify the man's next-of-kin, according to the Mahoning County coroner's office.
Two others who sustained multiple gunshot wounds early Saturday, a 20-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman, were believed to have been bystanders. They're in "serious but stable" condition, investigators said Monday.
Officer Joe Wess Jr. applied a tourniquet to the woman's leg at the scene, to stem the bleeding after she was struck, said YPD Chief Carl Davis, who credited Wess with saving her life.
Gunfire erupted inside the East Midlothian Boulevard club at about 1:30 a.m. Saturday. Officers reported hearing gunfire even as they entered the building. They cleared the building but did not locate the shooter, Davis said Monday.
Shell casings from at least two different weapons were recovered at the scene, but no firearms were found, Cox said.
Utopia is an LGBTQ night club, but on Friday night was the venue for a live concert by Detroit-area rapper Peezy. The venue had security that night, and bags and purses were not allowed inside the venue, according to the concert's Eventbrite page.
"This is not LGBT-related. There is no evidence suggesting that this was a hate crime," Davis said Monday.
Cox said detectives on Monday were reviewing "hours" of surveillance footage from the club and following up on other leads to determine why the man was targeted.
"Unfortunately, we have individuals who are out there, they have earlier relationships with one another and sometimes they're feuding with one another and innocent people get, oftentimes, shot," Brown said.
There were likely a few hundred people in the club that night, authorities said Monday.
Other police units from Boardman, Struthers, Austintown and the Ohio State Highway Patrol were called to assist with crowd control and to search for a potential active shooter.
No arrests have been made. If identified, suspects may face charges of murder and felonious assault.
"We need everyone's help," Brown said. "There were multiple people in there. We need someone to come forward — tell us anonymously through phone call, through email.
"If you leave information that will help us — no matter how small you think [it is] — that information might help us."
Anyone with knowledge of the incident can leave an anonymous tip with CrimeStoppers Youngstown at 330-746-CLUE (746-2583) or Youngstown police at 330-742-8YPD (742-8973).
Cash rewards may be offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any involved in the shooting.
Utopia issued a statement Monday evening:
"We would like to thank all of you for your outpouring of support, following the terrible events this past weekend at Utopia. We ask that you join us in continued prayer for the victims' family and friends. While we wanted to issue a statement sooner, our ongoing cooperation with law enforcement and city officials has taken precedence.
"It has been determined by both the Youngstown Police Department Chief Carl Davis, and Mayor Tito Brown, that this was not a targeted crime against the LGBTQ+ community. Our venue was privately retained for a live concert event, and it appears that one of the performers was the target.
"Since [its] opening in 2005, Utopia has prided itself by operating a safe and well-protected venue for all our guests. We will continue to ensure that this practice is followed, and that this tragic incident does not lessen your safety.
"We continue to cooperate with the YPD in their ongoing investigation. Once this has been concluded, we will announce an open to the public date and resume operations, fully supporting the community which has always supported us.
"Thank you again for all your continued prayers, blessings and support."
This story was originally published April 5, 2021 at 2:02 PM with the headline "UPDATE | Police: Local rapper killed in Utopia shooting was targeted."