YOUNGSTOWN Police probe fatal shooting of man

The victim may have interrupted an auto theft or was carjacked, police said.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Police are investigating the homicide of a 29-year-old Youngstown man gunned down on North Garland Avenue.
Police said they were called to Club 541, a bar on North Garland Avenue, at about 10:30 p.m. Thursday for a shooting.
Police found Robert Smith of Elliot Lane inside the bar being treated by ambulance personnel for several gunshot wounds to his back and lower torso.
Smith was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center, where he was pronounced dead by the Mahoning County Coroner's office.
Theory
Lt. Robin Lees said Smith may have interrupted an auto theft in the bar's parking lot, which caused him to be shot.
"We don't know if he was carjacked or he got into it with the perpetrator who was breaking into cars in the parking lot," Lees said.
Damage was done to the steering columns of three cars in the bar's parking lot, Lees said.
Also, the suspect stole Smith's 1997 Cadillac Catera, which is maroon with wide white-wall tires and chrome-factory wheels, Lees said. The car was still missing as of this morning. The license plate number is EJ77XJ.
Investigation
Police said they spent three and a half hours at Club 541 and its parking lot looking for evidence. They also interviewed six people who were at the bar when they arrived.
But police don't believe any of them saw the shooting. There is no description of the suspect.
Police said they found several bags of suspected marijuana and suspected cocaine among Smith's personal effects.
This is the 18th homicide in the city this year. There were 33 homicides in Youngstown last year.