Youngstown Police arrest man accused of firing 22 shots to celebrate the Fourth
Recently passed laws have made it legal to set off fireworks on July Fourth and other holidays. But one man found out that shooting guns to celebrate in Youngstown isn’t allowed.
The Police Department’s ShotSpotter system detected about 20 shots fired near Gaither Avenue on the city’s Southside at around 9:30 a.m.
Three police cars were dispatched to investigate.
Officers say they found a man firing shots into the air from his backyard on Emery Avenue and he went back into his house to get more ammunition.
Before the suspect, identified as Miguel Ocana, could fire off another round, he was put into handcuffs and arrested on a charge of discharging firearms inside the city limits.
According to the police report, Ocana told officers that he was firing into the air to celebrate the Fourth and everybody else was doing it.
Officers say they collected 22 9 mm shell casings in Ocana’s yard.
Police took Ocana’s Smith & Wesson SD9 semi-automatic pistol as evidence.
Ocana is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.