WARREN — A 21-year-old Warren man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of attempting to murder two police officers in a 2023 shooting incident, as his case moved forward in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

Davonte McElroy, of Austin Avenue NW, faces two counts of attempted murder and two counts of felonious assault, all with firearm specifications, as well as one count of tampering with evidence.

The charges stem from an Oct. 13, 2023, incident in which Warren police detectives Peter Goranitis and Michael Sajnovsky were targeted, according to prosecutors.

During the arraignment before Judge Sean O’Brien, McElroy’s bond was set at $500,000. McElroy and his public defender agreed to a 90-day speedy trial waiver. The next pretrial hearing is scheduled for Aug. 6, 2025.

According to a Warren police report, on the day of the incident, Goranitis and Sajnovsky were patrolling Austin Avenue around 3:40 p.m. when they observed a man wearing a black ski mask, red hoodie, and black pants walking toward a home.

The suspect reportedly pointed a handgun at the officers’ vehicle and fired multiple shots as he ran toward them. The detectives fled to a safe area and alerted dispatch, prompting a response from multiple police units to the Austin Avenue residence. No officers were injured in the incident.

McElroy evaded authorities for over a year-and-a-half before his arrest on May 16, 2025, in a parking lot near Homewood Avenue SE and Youngstown Road SE in Warren.

Warren police detectives from the Street Crimes Unit, aware of McElroy’s outstanding warrants for attempted murder, spotted him in a red Jeep SUV. Officers approached the vehicle, identified McElroy among the passengers, and took him into custody without incident. He was transported to the Trumbull County jail, where he remains without bond, according to court records.

At a May 23 hearing in Warren Municipal Court, Meikle argued for a $100,000 bond, stating that McElroy was not actively fleeing authorities. “He wasn’t actively running. He was picked up in Columbus and released. He thought the charges had been dismissed,” Meikle said, adding that McElroy was cooperative during his arrest and has family support in Warren, suggesting he is not a flight risk. The court, however, upheld the no-bond decision.