Charles Pullen Jr., 17, was shot and killed the evening of April 1, 2026, on the South Side of Youngstown. The shooting occurred about 9:55 p.m. on East Judson Avenue and was first detected by a ShotSpotter alert. A private vehicle took Charles to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital, where he was pronounced dead; the Mahoning County Coroner identified him and listed the cause of death as a shooting. An autopsy was performed by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Known as Paupi, Charles was a junior at Mahoning Valley High School. The account notes he loved spending time with his grandmothers, older cousins and his best friend, followed the Seattle Seahawks and enjoyed playing video games on his Xbox. His death is being investigated jointly by the Youngstown Police Department and the Mahoning County Coroner’s Office; as of early April, no arrests had been announced and no suspects were publicly identified. Family and friends held a balloon launch at Arlington Heights Park to honor his memory.

Did anyone in the community have contact with Charles or witness activity on East Judson Avenue that night?