Shooting death of woman in Warren being investigated as homicide

WARREN, Ohio -

A barrage of bullets outside Fairview Gardens apartment complex on Duke Street in Warren ended with the death of a young woman Saturday night.

Neighbors who live at Fairview said a large group of kids typically play outside, so a large group of children could have also been killed or injured in the gunfire.

Resident Sabrina Simmons, who was asleep, dropped to the floor in fear, possibly ripping stitches and injuring herself after recent surgery to remove lung cancer.

"I took my evening medicine and wanted to lay down and rest. The next thing I know, we got World War III out here and there's a child gone now. I don't know who it was, but I said a prayer for that young lady and her family. A police officer helped me kneel down to say a prayer outside the crime-scene tape. What is taking place out here is nonsense," said Simmons. "You can't think it's alright because you can get weapons anytime you want to, so you get mad at somebody and you want to go shoot their house up, go shoot their kids up, go shoot their cars up. It's time for all of that to stop."

The victim, 21-year-old Heaven Lynn, a single mother to a four-year-old son, was from Youngstown. 

Relatives of Heaven held a candlelight vigil to remember her life Sunday evening.

More than 50 people came to the memorial.

Lynn's cousin said her family wants justice for an angel whose life was taken too soon, even starting a hashtag on social media called #JusticeForHeavenLynn. 

A sedan with broken windows and a bullet-riddled car tell part of the story of how much firepower was used by the suspect or suspects on Warren's south-east side.

Detectives searched with flashlights around the car and parking lot, locating at least 68 shell casings, then processed them as evidence.

Other residents at Fairview said shattered glass in the parking lot that was still there Sunday represents a shattered life.

Residents want drug activity and crime driven from Fairview Gardens, so elderly can live in peace and kids can play outside.

Others told 21 News they want Trumbull Metropolitan Housing Authority to move some of the younger tenants who invite trouble to other locations in with younger people.

"If the city has money to help heroin addicts who keep taking more heroin, then they must have money for long-term drug investigations to drive out drug dealers to get to the root of the problem. Kids and elderly should not be forced to live in fear," said Simmons. "Warren's mayor needs to do something about this. The councilmen need to do something about this. The police chief needs to do something about this. The TMHA needs to do something about this. It's only a matter of time before a whole group of kids out here are killed if they don't do anything. That many bullets, they could have hit anybody."