One of the men shot in the Jan. 18 Clearview Mall parking lot shooting, who was later charged for his alleged role, turned himself in Monday morning, according to state police.

State police had been searching for Damian J. Blystone, 19, since Friday, when they filed charges accusing him of pointing a gun in the direction of the alleged mall shooter, Carlos Gonzalez Carril, 24, of Butler, before the shooting occurred.

Blystone is charged with felony terroristic threats and prohibited gun possession as well as misdemeanor simple assault, reckless endangerment, marijuana possession and drug paraphernalia possession.

District Judge Lewis Stoughton set bond at $50,000 with additional conditions if posted. Those conditions include pretrial supervision and drug and alcohol monitoring.

Following arraignment, he was sent to Butler County Prison.

On Jan. 18, Blystone, along with Ryan Ehrman, 21, of Butler, and a juvenile boy, were allegedly shot by Gonzalez Carril in the parking lot between Rural King and Boscov’s at the Center Township mall. Gonzalez Carril was arrested later that night.

According to charging documents against Blystone, police said they discovered from additional interviews that Blystone and Ehrman approached Gonzalez Carril’s vehicle before the shooting.

“Ehrman provided Blystone with the handgun, which he subsequently pointed ... directly at the vehicle where Gonzalez Carril (and three women) were in,” police said. “Blystone charged the handgun by pulling the slide rearward.”

By “cocking” or “racking” a handgun’s slide backward, a live round is loaded into the chamber and makes it ready to fire.

In charging documents filed against Gonzalez Carril, police said they examined Gonzalez Carril’s vehicle and saw no bullet holes, despite the alleged shooter’s claim that Blystone and company shot first.

According to the charges against Blystone, video evidence was collected from one of the women in Gonzalez Carril’s vehicle, showing Blystone pointing the gun at them.

“At that time, you can hear a female from inside the car scream out that ‘they’re pointing a gun at us,’” police said. “This action subsequently led to several shots being fired by Gonzalez Carril at Blystone and Ehrman.”

Police said both Blystone and the boy were shot in backs of their heads and Ehrman was shot in the right side of his torso. All three were able to be interviewed by police later that night.

The boy driver allegedly told police the three of them had been driving away when the shots were fired.

According to police on Monday, both pistols involved in the incident have been recovered. According to documents, both were 9mm pistols. Police on Monday said the pistol allegedly used by Gonzalez Carril was customized with an extended magazine.

Some news outlets have reported as many as 20 shots being fired. Police have not released any information about a specific number of shots that were fired, only noting in court documents that “multiple” or “several” shots were fired.

Police have also not specified who owned the pistol Ehrman allegedly handed to Blystone; however the police included a serial number for the weapon in charging documents. As of Monday, Ehrman has not been charged with any crimes related to the incident.

Police said in addition to instigating the shooting, Blystone’s alleged actions endangered others.

“The Clearview Mall and the businesses inside were placed on lock down for several hours,” police said. “Witnesses interviewed on scene related while in the parking lot between Rural King and Boscov’s, they heard multiple gunshots and had to immediately seek cover.”

According to police, Blystone’s criminal record shows that as a juvenile in 2020, he was found guilty on drug charges.

Blystone is scheduled for a preliminary hearing 15 minutes before Gonzalez Carril on Feb. 8 before Stoughton.