ARCHBOLD WEATHER

Apparent Accidental Shooting Leaves Wauseon Boy Dead






Michael Schwartz

Michael Schwartz

One Wauseon boy is dead, and a second is charged with juvenile delinquency by way of negligent homicide after an apparent accidental shooting, Wednesday, March 14.

Michael J. Schwartz, 13, Wauseon, died at the Fulton County Health Center of a single gunshot wound to the chest.

Felipe Villanueva, 14, Wauseon, is facing charges in Fulton County Juvenile Court in connection with the shooting. He is scheduled to appear for a hearing today, Wednesday, at 1:30 pm.

Villanueva’s first court appearance was Thursday, March 15. After the incident, he was held at the Northwest Ohio Juvenile Detention, Training, and Rehabilitation Center, Stryker.

Villanueva’s attorney requested that Villanueva be released to his family, but Michael Bumb, Fulton County juvenile court judge, ordered he be held at the detention center until at least today.

There are provisions in Ohio law to put Villanueva on trial as an adult, but Luke Jones, Fulton County juvenile prosecutor, said that is not being considered at this point.

The Incident

Keith Torbet, Wauseon police chief, said Schwartz, Villanueva, and a third, unidentifi ed youth stopped at the home of the third boy at 444 Howard Avenue, Wauseon, on their way to Wauseon Middle School that morning.

The only adult in the house left to go to work.

An emergency call was received at 6:56 am, reporting a drive-by shooting at the house.

Wauseon police arrived on the scene and determined the incident was not a driveby. Torbet said the shot came from inside the residence.

Rescue units took Schwartz to the Wauseon High School football field, where they met a helicopter ambulance.

Medics couldn’t stabilize Schwartz for flight, so the decision was made to take him to the Fulton County Health Center, where he died.

Villanueva and the other youth were questioned by police, with Villanueva being detained.

In the meantime, Marc Robinson, superintendent of the Wauseon school district, said a crisis team was assembled, offering counseling to students.

He also sent two messages to parents via email and other electronic methods assuring them the incident was not a drive-by shooting, and that students were safe at school.

Not Malicious

In a press conference about nine hours after the shooting, Torbet said Wauseon police officers did not believe there was any “malicious intent” involved in the shooting.

There are several unanswered questions in connection with the case, ranging from the type of firearm involved (reportedly a shotgun), to who owned the gun, and how the boys got hold of the weapon.


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