Body found in vacant lot

July 29, 2014 at 12:05a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

The body of a man found in a vacant lot on the South Side early Monday is the city’s sixth homicide of 2014.

Police found the body of 27-year-old Zachary Frischkorn in a vacant lot at 360 Carroll St. just after 1 a.m.

He had died from a gunshot wound, said chief of detectives Capt. Brad Blackburn.

Officers first were called to the area for a report of gunfire, then several minutes later they received a call that a man was down in the vacant lot. That is when they found Frischkorn, Blackburn said.

Blackburn said Frischkorn’s body was easily visible from the street and could be seen by anyone who was driving past.

Detectives were called, and were still talking to people Monday.

Blackburn said one focus of the investigation will be why Frischkorn, a West Sider, was on the South Side, very early in the morning.

A check of court records shows that Frischkorn had no criminal record and just a few traffic offenses.

Reports said when police first were called, witnesses said a car was driving up and down the street and someone inside was shooting. After officers left, they were called back to check for a person down in a field at Carroll Street near Edwards Street, and that’s where they found Frischkorn’s body. He had a single gunshot wound to the chest, reports said. A cellphone also was in his closed hand when he was found.

Paramedics who arrived said Frischkorn already was dead when he was found, reports said.

Reports said Frischkorn’s mother told police her son was on the South Side to get his car back, and the car was found later by police.

The last homicide in the city occurred June 28 when Shannon Strosnider, 33, was shot in the leg in a home on Tod Lane and later died.

In 2013, Youngstown recorded 20 homicides. At this point in 2013, there were nine homicides in the city.