Shooting Victim Dies; Police Rule Homicide
By JENNIFER COMPSTON-STROUGHWHEELING — A man who was shot inside an East Wheeling residence Friday has died, and police have classified the death as a homicide.
Wheeling police Chief Kevin Gessler in a statement released Saturday said the black male victim had not been positively identified and that information investigators had received about the case was limited.
In Belmont County, meanwhile, two men with guns in their possession were arrested Friday. A Wheeling police dispatcher said “at this time” the men are not considered suspects in the Wheeling shooting, but Shadyside police noted the men were tested for gunpowder residue because officers there were aware of the Wheeling shooting.
Wheeling police were called to 195 15th St. at about 6:04 p.m. Friday. Officers discovered a black male on the second floor of that dwelling with what appeared to be a gunshot wound. Wheeling Fire Department personnel transported the victim to Wheeling Hospital.
Although someone called 911 to report the shooting Friday, when police arrived only the injured man was found.
Officers secured the scene and investigators processed the area for evidence. Gessler declined to disclose Friday whether a gun was found at the scene, but he did say neighbors in the area should not be worried because the shooting occurred inside the home. He also said it was not clear if any illegal drug use had taken place.
Gessler said neither the owner nor any residents of 195 15th St. could be located Friday. Officers could not secure the structure, so Wheeling operations crews secured it.
According to Gessler’s statement, investigators were notified by the State Coroner at 11:25 p.m. Friday that the shooting victim had died at 10:39 p.m.
Neighbors in the area said they did not hear any gunshots prior to police arriving. One woman said the house is a popular spot for late-night partying. Area resident Erica Strawn said people would use a “certain knock” at the basement door of the home to gain admittance.
On Saturday, investigators returned to the crime scene. The owner of the residence arrived and was informed of the circumstances, Gessler said. The owner also was informed of measures taken for security purposes and took control of the residence.
Anybody with information concerning this shooting is asked to call the Wheeling Police Department Investigations Unit at 304-234-3781. People also can submit information online by going to the Wheeling Police Department Web Site, http://www.WheelingPD.com'>www.WheelingPD.com, and choosing the online Crime and Tip Reporting link. All information will be kept confidential.
Also Friday, Shadyside police Officer Chuck Doty arrested two Wheeling men for aggravated menacing, having weapons while under a disability and carrying a concealed weapon.
Jackie Byrd, 18, of 1411 Jacob St., Wheeling and Zane Joseph Mills, 21, of 27a Eagle Court, Wheeling were apprehended after an altercation on the Shadyside “Loop.” Witnesses reported Byrd removed a handgun from his person and handed it to Mills, who cocked it and threatened to “shoot up the Loop.”
Shadyside police issued a news release Saturday that states Byrd was found to be in possession of a handgun when patted down prior to his arrest. That weapon, which Doty said was found in the front of Byrd’s pants, later was determined to be a pellet gun.
A second, loaded weapon — a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun with only three rounds remaining inside — was recovered from the subjects’ vehicle. Doty said that gun had been in Mills’ possession, but Mills “ditched it in the vehicle” as Doty was patting down Byrd. Mills allegedly confessed to having the .40-caliber handgun while being questioned at Shadyside police headquarters.
“Because of a prior shooting incident that took place earlier in the day in West Virginia, Byrd and Mills were tested for gunpowder residue,” the news release states. “The results of the tests are pending analysis.”
Byrd and Mills were taken to the Belmont County Jail without further incident and were each being held on a $7,500 bond late Saturday.
In addition, an 18-year-old Bridgeport man and a 16-year-old Bellaire girl were taken into custody and questioned about the Shadyside incident, but they were later released.
The Shadyside Police Department further noted it had received word that a black male had been assaulted earlier Friday in Bellaire. That victim allegedly said “he would be coming to Shadyside with a gun, later that night, to ‘even the score.’”
Doty said Byrd is a black male, but not the same black male who allegedly made that threat.
Staff Writer Shelley Hanson contributed to this report.
