Joshua Kyle Williams, a 20-year-old male from Warren, Ohio, tragically died on February 25, 2017, from five gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen. Joshua was one of two young men killed in a mass shooting in Howland, Ohio. The other victim, Josh Haber, 19, also from Warren, died from a single gunshot wound. Both deaths were ruled homicides by the Mahoning County Coroner’s office.
The incident occurred when Joshua and four others traveled in a minivan to the home and business of
Nasser Hamad, 47, on state Route 46. According to an affidavit, a fist fight broke out between John Shively, 17, and Hamad in Hamad’s front yard. After the fight ended, Hamad went inside his house, retrieved a handgun, and opened fire on the five individuals who had returned to the van. Joshua’s mother, Kristen Hendrickson Williams, expressed on Facebook that her son had no involvement in the feud and was simply visiting distant relatives.
Nasser Hamad was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated murder and six counts of attempted aggravated murder. He was found guilty on October 31, 2017, and sentenced to 36 years to life in prison. Hamad’s attorney attempted to appeal the sentence, but Hamad passed away in prison on January 11, 2025, from terminal kidney cancer.
The tragic loss of Joshua Williams deeply affected his family and friends, who remembered him as a kind-hearted individual with a love for the outdoors and music. His mother, Kristen Hendrickson Williams, and his father, Kyle Williams, have been vocal about their grief and the impact of the senseless violence on their lives.
The case remains a poignant reminder of the devastating consequences of gun violence and the importance of seeking justice for victims and their families.
