A United States Postal Service (USPS) employee, aged 33, was fatally shot on Saturday, March 2, 2024, while on his delivery route in Warren, Ohio, approximately 60 miles southeast of Cleveland.
Emergency services responded to the incident on Olive Avenue at about 1:44 p.m., where they found the mail carrier, Jonte Davis, critically wounded from gunshot injuries.
First responders provided immediate medical attention at the scene, and Davis was then transported to Trumbull Regional Medical Center. Despite the medical team’s best efforts, Davis later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
The Warren Police Department (WPD) is investigating the incident and currently believes that the attack on Davis was targeted rather than random. Preliminary indications suggest that Davis and the perpetrator may have been acquainted.
A local resident’s 911 call reported seeing a gray pickup truck pass by Davis’s USPS vehicle and fire four to five shots before speeding off toward North Park Avenue on Washington Street. Another 911 call reported Davis’s postal vehicle veering off the road into a nearby yard.
Working in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and USPS Postal Inspectors, the WPD located the suspected perpetrator’s vehicle at 429 Maryland Ave NE. The Mahoning Valley Crisis Response Team assisted in a search of the property that resulted in several people being detained for questioning, according to a police press release.
To date, the WPD has not made any arrests. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has issued a warning that the suspect is believed to be armed and dangerous.
Warren Mayor Doug Franklin has vowed that law enforcement will work tirelessly to apprehend those involved in the crime. He also extended his condolences to the victim’s family.
A family friend of Davis told a local news outlet that he is survived by ten children, aged three to 14, who are grappling with the sudden loss.
A vigil in memory of Davis was held on Thursday, March 7, at 6:00 p.m. at the Warren post office. Attendees walked from the post office through the streets to where David was shot and wore green, white, and black, Davis’s favorite colors.
The family friend described Davis as a positive influence, dedicated to his family, which included his mother and eleven siblings. He was committed to being a role model for his children by leading a life of integrity.
A GoFundMe page has been created to assist Davis’s family in accepting donations. His brother, Larry Davis, honored him on the fundraising page, noting his gentle nature, kindness as a mail carrier, and his reputation as a good man and father to his many children.
The donations will be used to cover the cost of Jonte’s funeral expenses and to support the family during their time of mourning.
The USPS is offering a reward of $250,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the murder of their employee.
Ian Ortega, a USPS postal Inspector from the Cleveland Office, stated that the safety and security of postal workers is the Postal Inspection Service’s top priority, pledging their commitment to cooperate with law enforcement agencies to bring those responsible to justice.
