Shooting victim identified as Joseph A. Andrews Jr., 19, of Mansfield
Mansfield police have identified the shooting victim of a shooting in the 300 block of Jennings Avenue as Joseph A. Andrews Jr., 19, of Mansfield.
The Mansfield Division of Police patrol officers responded to the Jennings Village Apartments at 7:02 a.m. Friday in reference to a “man down” call.
Upon arrival, an unknown subject, later identified as Andrews, was found lying near 375 Jennings Ave., dressed in all black, wearing a mask and obviously deceased, Mansfield police said Friday night in a news release.
A firearm was observed near the body as well as other evidence of a shooting, police said.
Mansfield police Capt. Shari Robertson said at least four residents from different nearby streets had called around 11:25 p.m. Thursday to report hearing "multiple gunshots" but did not give an exact location.
Police checked the area streets but did not find anything at the time, she said.
According to a 911 tape, a caller told a dispatcher on Friday morning, "There's a dead body by our mailbox right now."
The man said his wife told him she saw a body and so he called 911. He told the dispatcher he had heard what he thought were gunshots during the night.
Robertson said detectives are looking into the possibility that the shooting might be linked to a vehicle arson reported at 12:47 a.m. Friday at North Lake Park. The vehicle, a white Dodge Avenger, matched the description of the one the victim was known to drive and was found engulfed in flames.
Detectives are working to identify the owner of that vehicle but the extensive fire damage has delayed their efforts.
Major Crimes detectives are working to find out what led to the shooting death as well as to identify a suspect or suspects.
The victim had been reported as a “missing person” earlier Friday morning by his family, police said.
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Richland County Coroner's investigator Tom Stortz said Andrews' body was being taken to the Montgomery County Medical Center for an autopsy on Saturday.
"This is an active investigation and detectives are working to establish what transpired prior to the victim being found," Mansfield police Capt. Shari Robertson said. "We will have to await an autopsy report to determine how long the victim was deceased before being located."
Police are asking for the public's help in finding a suspect or suspects.
"We asking if anyone who may have seen that vehicle in the area at the time of the gunshots or shortly before and/or after, to please let us know. If anyone has cameras in or around that area, we would ask them to check and see if they observed a white Dodge Avenger or anything that may have been suspicious and to let us know," Robertson said.
"This is the fourth homicide within our city this year and we need those in the community who may be able to help solve this homicide or who may have information on the other unsolved homicides, to step up and help bring some closure to the victim’s families. We cannot solve these types of violent crimes without the community’s cooperation," Robertson added.
Police are asking that anyone who may have information in relation to this investigation or the arson at North Lake Park, to call Major Crimes Detective Richard Clapp at 419-755-9470 or Major Crimes at 419-755-9724.
lwhitmir@gannett.com
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Twitter: @LWhitmir
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Jennings Avenue shooting victim identified by Mansfield police
