Theft of CARES Act money is motive in fatal shooting of 4-year-old boy in Struthers
A man has been indicted by the Mahoning County Grand Jury for the death of a 4-year-old boy in Struthers.
The indictment of Kimonie Bryant, 24, was announced at a news conference Thursday by Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul Gains.
Bryant faces four counts of aggravated murder, four counts of attempted murder, four counts of felonious assault, one count of aggravated burglary and one count of aggravated robbery.
Bryant is accused of killing 4-year-old Rowan Sweeney during a shooting on September 21 at a home on Perry Street.
On Thursday, prosecutor Gains released more details about the tragedy.
Gains said Bryant entered the home and immediately shot Andre McCoy Junior. The suspect then shot Yarnell Green Jr. as Green got up and tried to run. The suspect shot Green several more times as he was on the floor, Gains said. Bryant then allegedly shot Cassandra Marsicola three times as she was sitting in a kitchen chair. Alexis Schneider and her son, Rowan, were on the couch. Rowan was asleep on the couch with his legs on his mom's lap. Gains said Bryant then shot Rowan twice in the head as well as the mother.
Gains said the investigation revealed it was well known that Green, who was self-employed as a barber, had recently received a check for several thousand dollars in federal pandemic unemployment assistance funds. Around $5,000 from the check remained on the coffee table. Gains said Bryant fled the scene, and when police arrived, no cash was on the coffee table.
After the shooting, McCoy remains in critical but stable condition. All of the other victims are expected to recover.
If convicted, Bryant could face any of the following punishments: life imprisonment with parole eligibility after 30 years, life imprisonment without eligibility for parole, or even the death penalty.
Bryant is set to be arraigned remotely Tuesday, October 6 at 9 a.m. in Judge Maureen Sweeney's court.
21 News reached out to Rowan's father David Sweeney, he said, in part, "What did Rowan do to you? Why my baby? This was senseless and heinous."
