WARREN, Ohio — An investigation is underway after a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier was shot and killed in Warren on Saturday -- and a reward up to $250,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the suspect.
Warren police say they were dispatched to the 600 block of Olive Avenue Northeast after reports of shots being fired at around 1:44 p.m.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers found a U.S. Postal Service employee with a gunshot wound.
Police say that the man had been shot by a suspect in another vehicle while he was inside his U.S. postal van. Officers and EMTs performed life-saving measures on the victim, but he was transported to Trumbull Regional Medical Center, where he later died as a result of his injuries.
The victim has since been identified as 33-year-old Jonte Davis.
A few hours after the shooting, Warren police say they located the suspect's vehicle in a driveway at 429 Maryland Avenue Northeast. A search warrant for the residence and vehicle was obtained and the Mahoning Valley Crisis Response Team was called to assist with serving the warrant.
"Evidence, including the suspect vehicle, was recovered and several individuals were transported to the Warren Police Department to be interviewed," Warren police said in a release on Facebook.
Family friend of the Davis family Tracay Kindler spoke to 3News' Lydia Esparra on Sunday. She said his family and those who knew him are devastated.
"He was kind and happy a family man," Kindler said. "He wasn't on the streets doing anything illegal, he was trying to provide for his family."
3News also spoke to the man who was first to arrive on the scene after Davis was shot. He said he heard the gunshots that fatally wounded Davis.
"We heard six shots than we heard a car speed up and head west on Washington. She (his wife) came out and saw the mail truck coming down the street and she said oh my God he's driving weird. We were the first people to arrive there and he was in bad shape."
He and his wife ran up to the vehicle and saw Davis injured but still alive.
"The postal truck was still running and I was worried someone was going to get hurt so I took the key out. I kind of held his hand I said, 'It's alright buddy the ambulance is on its way. It's going to be okay but if it's your time it's your time.'"
At this time, a suspect is not in custody and Warren police believe that this was a targeted attack. The U.S. Postal Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are assisting the Warren Police Department with the investigation.
Anyone with information about the shooting is being asked to contact Detective John Greaver at 330-841-2723 or jgreaver@warren.org. Additionally, anyone with any information about this incident is asked to contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455. When calling, reference case no. 4262416-WPV