LISBON — A man accused of injuring a juvenile during a shooting in Wellsville on April 27 is now charged with attempted murder, felonious assault, inducing panic and tampering with evidence related to the incident.

E’mory Nazay Chiles, 20, Independence Square, Wellsville, was openly indicted by the Columbiana County Grand Jury on Wednesday for the first-degree felony attempted murder charge, a second-degree felony charge of felonious assault, a third-degree felony tampering with evidence charge, a fourth-degree felony inducing panic charge and two firearm specifications which carry mandatory three-year prison terms.

Columbiana County Prosecutor Vito Abruzzino said if convicted, Chiles could be looking at a possible sentence of 26 1/2 years in prison. He remains jailed under a $500,000 cash or surety bond.

According to the indictment, Chiles “did attempt to purposely cause the death of another,” with the victim identified as a 15-year-old juvenile. He also attempted to cause physical harm by means of a deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance, a firearm, tampered with evidence and caused the evacuation of a public place, causing serious public inconvenience and alarm.

When asked about the inducing panic charge, Abruzzino said the public place was a park.

For the tampering charge, he said, “We have information to believe he disposed of evidence following the crime, namely a weapon and clothing.”

During a preliminary hearing for Chiles in county Municipal Court, Wellsville Police Patrolman Caden Weekley testified there was a report of shots fired at 8:30 p.m. April 27 in the area of Danbury Avenue. On April 28, he testified that Chiles said he was involved in the shooting and told police he was leaving his residence to go to the store.

According to Chiles, somebody told him another male was talking about him online and he saw the male and they had a verbal exchange, asking each other, “What you on?”

Weekley then said Chiles told police the other male fired a gun and he returned fire.

Police had made contact with the victim at East Liverpool City Hospital before he was transferred to a Pittsburgh hospital. Chiles was identified as the person responsible for the gunshot wound.

According to the affidavit Weekley filed with the charges, police had received a call about shots fired near the 18th Street park in Wellsville and that the suspect was on foot wearing all black clothing heading south near Danbury Avenue behind Pep’s Carryout mini-mart.

Officers were also sent to Independence Square where they were told a juvenile had been struck with a bullet. Officers spoke with the shooting victim, who sustained an injury to his right arm, near the wrist, with the injury consistent with a gunshot wound. Officers also spoke with another teen who was with the shooting victim during the incident. On April 28, officers obtained a warrant for the residence where Chiles lives, but according to the affidavit, Chiles came to the police station from work to turn himself in.

“E’mory stated that he was involved in the shooting and that he did in fact shoot at/towards” the two teens, the affidavit said.

During cross-examination at the preliminary hearing, defense attorney Shelli Freeze questioned Weekley about the number of shots fired, with Weekley saying that Chiles told police there were four to six shots fired and then he said seven to eight shots. Weekley said the other male never said he fired anything.

Weekley said officers found seven 9mm shell casings in the 18th Street area and that a .40-caliber shell casing was found in an alley which connects to 18th Street.

mgreier@mojonews.com