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Man shot on South Ave. is Youngstown's 10th homicide victim of year
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Police believe robbery was the motive that led to the shooting death of a man at a South Side parking lot Thursday evening.
Dale Garver, 41, of Burnsville, W.Va., died after being shot in the parking lot of Teenie’s Tavern, 3011 South Ave.
He is the city’s 10th homicide victim of 2014.
Police Lt. Doug Bobovynik said Garver was killed during a robbery. He said Garver was in town to visit relatives when he was shot.
Police were called to the bar for a report of a shooting about 9:30 p.m. When they arrived, they found a pool of blood and four spent shell casings and bullet fragments.
A video at the business showed two men approach a pickup truck that pulled into the bar. The men talked to the people in the truck, then walked to the passenger side, and at some point shots were fired, reports said.
The truck sped away, and the two men fled on foot. Later, police were called to St. Elizabeth Health Center where the victim was being treated. Two of the people with him told officers the two men outside the truck demanded money before firing several shots.
The truck driver told police he was dropping three people off at the bar when the two men approached and began shooting. Other witnesses told police they heard shots as well.
Garver died later of his wounds at the hospital.
Bobovnyik said Garver was with three other people in the truck. He said they believe Garver was targeted because as they were sitting in the truck in the parking lot, the robbers saw Garver counting a large sum of money and decided to try and take it.
Bobovnyik said the robbers did not get the money.
In 2013, Youngstown had 20 homicides. At this point last year, Youngstown also had 10 homicides.