Police: 2nd suspect in Clearview Mall parking lot shooting turned himself in
One of the men shot in the Jan. 18 Clearview Mall 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. 20, Blystone, along with Ryan Ehrman, 21, of Butler, and a juvenile boy, were allegedly shot by Gonzalez Carril in 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 the firearm 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 Carill’s vehicle and saw no bullet holes, despite the alleged shooter’s claim that Blystone and company shot first.
According to documents, video evidence was collected from one of the women in Gonzalez Carril’s vehicle, showing Blystone pointing the gun at them.
“This action subsequently led to several shots being fired by Gonzalez Carril at Blystone and Ehrman,” police said.
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