Report: Shots fired at Youngstown police officer

Youngstown Police Department reported an armed suspect fired several times at a pursuing officer on Sunday afternoon.

While on patrol, that officer — whose name is not being released — encountered Tawhon Easterly, 43, holding a firearm near the Dollar General store in the 1300 block of Belmont Avenue, according to a Sunday news release.

Easterly allegedly refused to drop the gun when ordered, then ran, according to the release. “Shortly into the chase,” Easterly fired several rounds at the YPD officer.

“Fortunately, no one was hit by gunfire in this incident,” reads the news release.

Easterly then allegedly broke into an elderly person’s home in the 600 block of Oxford Street, about one block northwest of the store, attempting to hide, the release states.

Officers coaxed Easterly out of the home “in a short period of time,” and he was arrested without further incident.

Easterly is charged with seven felony counts, including felonious assault, burglary, obstructing official business, obstructing justice, tampering with evidence, carrying concealed weapons and having weapons while under disability, along with a misdemeanor count of discharging firearms inside city limits.

He’s currently in the Mahoning County jail, awaiting arraignment Monday in Youngstown Municipal Court.

This story was originally published March 20, 2022 at 7:42 PM.