Staff photo /Chris McBride Mya Henderson, 33, a worker at the Convenient Food Mart at 1409 Elm Road NE in Warren, explains her perspective on the attempt by the city to close the business and recollects her experience the night of the shooting that claimed a 31-year-old Warren man’s life.

WARREN — City officials announced plans Tuesday to seek the immediate closure of a Convenient Food Mart on Elm Road following a shooting over the weekend that left a 31-year-old Warren man dead and another man injured.

The shooting death capped a violent weekend that included three separate shootings across the city.

During a news conference in Warren City Council chambers, Mayor Doug Franklin, joined by Safety-Service Director Eddie Colbert, Law Director Enzo Cantalamessa, Chief City Prosecutor Traci Timko, and police detectives Nicole Smith and Eric Laprocina, condemned the violence and vowed to hold those responsible accountable.

The mayor identified the Convenient Food Mart at 1409 Elm Road NE as a “nuisance” and a focal point for illegal activity, citing evidence that the store was open and selling liquor in violation of an agreement with the city to not do so between 2 and 4 a.m.

“This violence is an affront to everything we stand for as a community,” Franklin said. “We will not allow a group of individuals to terrorize our community. We will not cower in fear, and we will not let violence define us.”

The victim of the Sunday shooting at the store was identified as David Lee Owens III, who was pronounced dead at a hospital.

A second victim, wounded in both legs, was treated and survived. The incident, classified as aggravated murder and felonious assault, stemmed from an argument during a dice game that escalated into gunfire around 5:14 a.m., police said.

Store employee Mya Henderson, who witnessed the shooting, described the rapid escalation from a casual gathering to deadly violence.

“It happened so fast, not even 10 minutes,” Henderson said during an interview inside the store. She denied allegations that the store was open or selling liquor between 2 and 4 a.m., as claimed by city officials, asserting that surveillance video shows no activity until 4:12 a.m.

“They’re lying,” Henderson said. “The problem isn’t Convenient. The problem is the city of Warren. People want to party, they don’t want to go home.”

The crowd at the press conference applauded the proposal to close the store, reflecting community frustration with ongoing safety concerns. Cantalamessa said his office is preparing to file a nuisance abatement action in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court within days, and will seek a temporary restraining order to board up the business. If granted, the closure could last up to a year, pending further court hearings.

“We have clear evidence of indifference by ownership to remediate the problem in favor of business profits,” Cantalamessa said, citing the store’s alleged violation of an agreement to remain closed from 2 to 4 a.m. and restrict alcohol sales.

Timko added that the store’s actions “created gasoline on this fire that culminated in a death.”

However, the weekend’s violence extended beyond Elm Road.

On Saturday, a woman was shot in both legs at a home on Phillips Drive SW, and a man was shot in the forehead on Scott Street NE.

David Hollie, 28, was arrested on charges of felonious assault and motor vehicle theft in connection with the Scott Street incident after a police pursuit in Niles.

Laprocina talked about the critical need for witness cooperation, saying there’s been “near zero” assistance despite surveillance footage showing multiple people present during the incidents.

“Our office phones aren’t ringing,” he said, urging anyone with information to contact police at 330-841-2573, anonymously if needed.

Community members expressed mixed sentiments.

Landlords James Shiell and Paul Keriotis, who attended the news conference, supported the store’s closure but voiced concerns about deeper issues.

“The entire corridor seems to be having a problem,” Shiell said, referencing other troubled businesses along Elm Road.

Keriotis, a landlord with more than 75 units, suggested a citywide curfew or increased police presence, warning that closing the store could create a “food desert” and leave another empty building.

Todd Hastings, a former resident near the store, opposed the closure, arguing it unfairly targets the business.

“They’re trying to hold somebody else accountable for their misconduct,” Hastings said.

He attributed the violence to larger societal issues, including drugs and a lack of respect.

Franklin acknowledged the complexity of the problem, calling for a “community solution” involving schools, churches and residents.

“This is a community problem that requires a community solution,” he said. “We must show our young people a path of hope and opportunity, not despair and violence.”

A first and immediate step Franklin suggested would be to close the store.

The city has a history of using nuisance abatement to close problem businesses, including a convenience store on Atlantic Street and a motorcycle club. However, officials conceded that such measures may only displace criminal activity.

“We’ll whack every mole,” Cantalamessa said, stating the city will pursue illegal activity wherever it migrates.

The Ohio Liquor Control Commission has been notified of the alleged violations, which could jeopardize the store’s liquor permit renewal.