Officers with the Jamestown Police Department are pictured at the scene of a shooting incident in July. A story on the shooting was one of the most read in 2020. P-J photo by Jay Young

Editor’s Note: The Post-Journal is looking back at the top stories of 2020 and the way they will shape the coming year. Today, 20 for 2020 looks at breaking news stories that were among the most-read stories in the newspaper this year.

The past year has been a busy one for breaking news, though resolutions to those incidents will have to wait until early in 2021.

The November adjournment of two trials that were to begin in late November and early December would have been the first to begin in Chautauqua County since COVID-19 forced most court matters to be postponed statewide. With the local adjournments, there won’t be a jury trial in the county until at least early 2021. Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence Marks announced that jury selection throughout the state will stop, though ongoing criminal and civil trials will continue to their conclusions. He said no new grand jurors will be selected and future bench trials and hearings will be conducted by video until further notice.

A JANUARY SHOOTING

One of the most shocking pieces of breaking news came early in January after a man was shot in the area of Newland Avenue and Hazzard Street in Jamestown.

According to Capt. Robert Samuelson of the Jamestown Police Department, the man was inside a vehicle driving south on Hazzard Street when he was struck by multiple gunshots, believed to have been fired from another vehicle.

After the shooting, the victim’s car struck a parked vehicle. A loaded pistol was later located inside the victim’s vehicle by officers.

The unidentified man, who was found lying in the road, was taken to UPMC Chautauqua and underwent surgery. He was then reportedly transferred to an Erie, Pa., hospital for further treatment.

Several days after the shooting, police recovered the other vehicle involved found parked behind a condemned home on Broadhead Avenue.

To date, no charges have been filed in the case.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING CASE INVOLVING TWO TEENS

No less shocking was the December news that a city woman was facing federal charges after the alleged sex trafficking of two minors.

The investigation began Sept. 23 when the mother and grandmother of a minor contacted the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office to express concern that the minor was involved in prostitution and using drugs. The pair also noted that the teen may have been trafficking the minor for sexual exploitation.

The mother and grandmother, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, provided screen shots of messages that reportedly discussed having sex for money. The minor obtained housing and services at the Safe House in Jamestown, at which time she advised staff she had been forced to have sex with multiple unknown adults in exchange for money. Staff then advised the New York State Police.

During an interview at the Jamestown Child Advocacy Program, the victim stated that the city woman reportedly took her to Buffalo and other cities and rented hotel rooms for the purpose of having sex in exchange for money. She also stated that during one of these trips to Buffalo, a second minor victim was also forced to engage in sexual activity.

Both victims were 17 years old at the time of the trafficking, the criminal complaint states.

“As alleged in the criminal complaint, this woman exploited two vulnerable young girls for her own financial benefit,” U.S. Attorney James Kennedy said in a statement. “The depravity of the defendant’s conduct and the harm she caused to these two minors are the stuff of which parental nightmares are made. I want to commend the members of federal, state, and local law enforcement, who, working with the tremendous child advocates serving our community, took swift and certain action to rescue these victims and to protect others from this predatory defendant.”

FIREFIGHTERS LAUDED FOR RESPONSE

Volunteers with the Falconer Volunteer Fire Department were praised by members of the Falconer Village Board for their efforts in battling an early morning fire in February.

“I cannot say enough about volunteer firefighters,” Mayor Jim Jaroszynski said. “I mean this was late Saturday night, early Sunday morning and to have 36 members of our department get up and get out of their beds to battle a structure fire is simply outstanding as far as I’m concerned.”

Added Bryce Webster, Falconer fire chief: “The crews did excellent. We had a good crew on.”

Upon arrival, fire officials reported heavy fire coming from the second floor of the two story, single family home, with volunteers from Gerry, Kennedy and Kiantone assisting at the scene.

No one was home when the fire broke out, though an adult and child were displaced after the property was considered a total loss.

A review by the Chautauqua County Fire Investigation Team found that a fire had been started in multiple locations. The team ruled the blaze incendiary, and turned over information to the Ellicott Police Department.

A Falconer man was later charged with third-degree arson, a class C felony.

TWO CHARGED WITH ASSAULT

Two teenagers were charged with assault after the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office said they tied up a male victim and lit him on fire in early August.

An investigation into the incident led to arrest warrants for an 18-year-old Cherry Creek man and a 19-year-old Salamanca man. Neither was identified by name by the Sheriff’s Office, but both were charged with second-degree assault and second-degree unlawful imprisonment.

Investigators learned that the teens allegedly tied the victim to a chair Aug. 3 inside a Cherry Creek residence. An accelerant was then poured on the male and then set on fire.

Sheriff James Quattrone said the male was treated for burns to his neck, upper back and arm and eventually released from a local hospital. He noted that the teens were acquaintances with the victim, though a motive was not known.

The 18-year-old and 19-year-old were arraigned at the Chautauqua County Jail.

JULY SHOOTING ON NORTH SIDE

Another shooting, this time on the city’s north side in early July, was also one of the most viewed stories this year on post-journal.com.

Officers responded after multiple shots were fired in the area of Cherry and West Ninth streets.

According to Capt. Robert Samuelson of the Jamestown Police Department, at least one of the two shooters may have been struck. No victims were found when officers arrived on scene.

Investigators remained on scene for a few hours while the area was cordoned to traffic.