Four-year-old boy is shot dead and four adults are wounded when gunman barges into Oh
Four-year-old boy is shot dead and four adults are wounded when gunman barges into Ohio home and opens fire
- Gunman burst into a Struthers, Ohio, home early Monday and opened fire, killing four-year-old Rowan Sweeney
- Two men and two women, all in their 20s, were struck by gunfire ; one of the male victims was shot twice in the head and is in critical condition
- Rowan died in the arms of his wounded mother, 22-year-old Alexis Schneider
- Police chief said it was not a random act of violence but a targeted attack
By Snejana Farberov For Dailymail.com
Published: 15:36 EDT, 21 September 2020 | Updated: 18:37 EDT, 21 September 2020
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Police in Ohio are searching for a man who walked into a family's home and opened fire early this morning, killing a four-year-old boy and wounding four adults.
The mass shooting took place at around 2am on Monday inside a two-story home in the 100 block of Perry Street in Struthers on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border.
Struthers Police Chief Tim Roddy said during a press briefing this afternoon that the gunman made his way inside the home and began yelling at the people inside.
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Rowan Sweeny, 4, was shot dead and his mother, Alexis Schneider, 22, was wounded in a mass shooting in Ohio this morning
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Police in Struthers, Ohio, are investigating the shooting that killed the child and left four adults injured overnight
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Police say a gunman burst into a home on Perry Street and opened fire, killing the child and injuring four adults - two men and two women - in their 20s
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Before the residents had a chance to respond, the intruder opened fire inside the living room, reported WKBN27.
Roddy identified the deceased child this afternoon as four-year-old Rowan Sweeney. He died in the arms of his mother, 22-year-old Alexis Scheider, who was also shot.
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Struthers Police Chief Tim Roddy gives a press conference on the investigation into the shooting on Monday
Yarnell Green Jr, 30, and 20-year-old Andre Stephon McCoy Jr were in critical condition at St. Elizabeth Health Center, one of them suffering from two gunshot wounds to the head and the other from two gunshot wounds to the back.
Both Schneider and Cassandra Marsicola, 20, were hospitalized in stable condition after being shot in the legs.
The suspect ran away from the home on foot. Police said the surviving victims told them they did not know the gunman.
Marsicola called 911 to report the incident, saying that everyone in the house had been shot.
Schneider could be heard yelling on the call, 'My son is dead.'
Neighbors reported hearing five to eight gunshots but did not see the suspect.
The two injured women were described as friends. They are cooperating with the investigation.
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David Sweeney, Rowan's father, broke down in tears while talking about his son's slaying
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Rowan died in his mother's arms at the scene. Alexis Schneider (left and right) suffered gunshot wounds to the legs in the shooting
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David Sweeney, Rowan's father, was not at the home on Perry Street and was unharmed
Meanwhile, Rowan's father, David Sweeney, delivered an emotional statement, calling his son's killer a 'coward' and a 'scumbag,' and urging him to 'be a man' and turn himself in.
'Rowan was the sweetest boy,' Sweeney said in a voice trembling with emotion. 'Rowan was the best. He is so young. He didn't deserve any of this... buddy, I'm so sorry, for you, buddy. I love you.'
Then addressing the killer directly, Sweeney said through sobs: 'you're sick, dude. you're sick. You took my son from me...you can live with that for the rest of your life.'
Police described the suspect as a thin, light-skinned black man who was last seen wearing a black jacket.
Chief Roddy stressed that it was not a random act of violence but rather a targeted attack.
According to the chief, investigators have several 'good' leads they are following at this time.
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Police are looking for a suspect described as a young, light-skinned black male with a thin build who was last seen fleeing the scene on foot
He also revealed that police had been called to the home a week ago for a report of a drug overdose involving one of the people who were shot on Monday.
When officers arrived on the scene, the person who overdosed had fled and had to be chased to make sure he received treatment.
The Mahoning County Homicide Task Force and several police departments in the area are helping Struthers police with the investigation.
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