Victim of fatal Bazetta shooting identified, police say no link with Walmart shots
BAZETTA TWP., Ohio - Bazetta Township’s Police Chief says two incidents of gun violence in two days are not related.
In a statement emailed Friday morning, Chief Christopher Herlinger referenced a man who was fatally shot in his yard on North Park Avenue late Wednesday, and shots fired Thursday evening in the Walmart parking lot on Millennium Blvd.
Herlinger says he wants to assure community members that both cases are separate isolated incidents, and he does not believe there is any immediate danger to our residents.
Police say they are still following leads after a neighbor reported that a North Park Avenue man was found dead after several shots were fired.
The Trumbull County Coroner has identified the deceased male as 53-year-old Michael Nigrin.
Although the cause of death is from multiple gunshot wounds, the coroner says the manner of Nigrin’s death is still being investigated.
Shortly before 6 p.m. police responded to a report of an active shooter outside the Bazetta Walmart.
Chief Herlinger says a man fired shots at a vehicle in front of the store before both vehicles drove away.
Police say they have a person of interest in the case who was driving a white Jeep SUV from the scene.
As a preventative measure between our department and Walmart, Bazetta officers will be working a security detail at the store, according to Herlinger.
Anyone with information about either incident is asked to call Detective Swiger at 330 638-5503, or the 24-hour dispatch Number 330 675-2730 or send a message on the Bazetta Township Police Department Facebook Page.
