Man, 22, fatally shot; another is wounded

Robert Mailaw, 22, points to the site of the shooting, which the police say was drug-related. Mr. Mailaw decried the police layoffs.

Several people in South Toledo voiced concerns over what police said was a drug-related shooting that killed a man and seriously injured another early Friday as police layoffs neared.

"People are starting to get shot. And it's only going to get worse," said Robert Mailaw, 22, a Toledo chimney cleaner who was staying at his parents' house near the scene of the shooting the night it happened.

"Neighbors were talking about [starting] a Block Watch," he said. "But I think that [Mayor Carty] Finkbeiner should not be laying off any of the police that he wants to lay off."

Armond Parker, 22, of North Toledo was pronounced dead at the scene, where Markies Turner, also 22, of central Toledo, was wounded, officers said.

Mr. Parker died of a gunshot wound in the head, according to Deputy Lucas County Coroner Dr. Cynthia Beisser. Mr. Turner was taken to the University of Toledo Medical Center, formerly the Medical College of Ohio Hospital, where his condition was not released.

The shooting occurred about 12:20 a.m. yesterday near Mercer Street and Foredale Avenue, police said. A total of 75 Toledo police officers were to be laid off, effective at 10 p.m. Friday.

The victims and a gunman were involved in a drug transaction just before the shooting, police said.

"I was putting the kids to bed when I heard six or seven shots fired, jumped outside, and saw two guys lying in the driveway. There was blood all over the place," Mr. Mailaw said.

Harry Hersey, Jr., 27, also a neighbor, said he heard about the shooting from other neighbors Friday morning and that he was concerned, especially in view of the approaching police layoffs.

"I think there should be more police patrols around here," Mr. Hersey said. "[Barring that], I would want a Block Watch to be set up here. I would join it to make the neighborhood safe."

A warrant in the shooting was issued Friday for DeJuan Booker, 29, who was charged with murder.

His last known address was 14 Southard Ave. in central Toledo.

None of about a dozen people interviewed by The Blade in the 3300 block of Maple Street, where police said the murder victim used to live, gave any information about the man or said they knew him.