VINDICATOR STAFF REPORT

VINDICATOR STAFF REPORT
YOUNGSTOWN -- Dozens of area police officers were continuing a frenzied manhunt this morning for a suspect in the shooting death of a Youngstown police officer, who was gunned down during a traffic stop in downtown Youngstown.
Michael Hartzell, 26, was the first city cop killed in the line of duty in 11 years, and the 12th city officer killed in the department's history.
Hartzell was sworn in as a police officer in December 2000.
Police are searching for a suspect, Martin L. Koliser, 31, no address available. Police were seen searching a residence at 2373 Innwood Drive, Austintown, about 9 a.m. today but gave no details on what they found. Police scanner traffic said a relative of Koliser's lived on Innwood.
An earlier tip on a suspect, whose last known address was on Shields Road in Boardman, proved to be fruitless.
What happened
The shooting took place at 2:19 a.m. today on Federal Plaza West, near the Home Savings and Loan Building and across from Edward W. Powers Auditorium.
Police Chief Bob Bush said the officer made a traffic stop, and called for a license plate check.
Bush said the check didn't come back "hot," meaning it wasn't stolen. Hartzell was then shot inside the cruiser, police said.
Bush said the stop wasn't connected to any pursuit.
He noted that police had good witnesses to the shooting.
Police impounded a two-toned Lincoln Town Car, believed to be the car the murder suspect was using.
It had been abandoned a few blocks from the shooting scene at Rayen and Belmont avenues.
Earlier suspect
About 7:30 a.m., police surrounded two apartments at 30 and 38 Shields Road in Boardman.
They were believed to be the apartments of a different suspect and a girlfriend.
Police evacuated apartment dwellers nearby while awaiting warrants to search the two apartments. Police later learned that the suspect was already in jail on another case.
Earlier, Bush said police were looking for a car linked to a shooting earlier today at the Casaloma Gardens, 2843 Mahoning Ave.
Units from the following departments were involved in the search: Ohio State Highway Patrol, Mahoning County sheriff's, Mill Creek MetroParks, Lowellville, Struthers, Poland Township, Austintown and Youngstown State University. K-9 units from Sharon and Sharpsville, Pa., police departments were also helping in the search.