CHARLESTON, W.Va. — One man was killed in a shooting early Friday morning.
Dominic Clark, 24, of Charleston, was shot several times in the back and chest, according to Charleston Police Chief of Detectives Lt. Steve Cooper.
Police, who are looking for the alleged shooter, said Clark was killed in the front yard of a home along Ohio Avenue on the city’s West Side around 1 a.m. Friday.
“Obviously this would be a very dangerous person,” said Cooper. “The shooting was very brutal and clearly the intent was to kill this person.”
After the gunman fled the scene, police canvassed the neighborhood trying to obtain a description of the shooter from witnesses.
Police are checking surveillance video from nearby businesses in hopes of getting a look at the suspect as he fled. The home is located between Roane and Lee streets.
“We believe that we’re looking for a stocky individual and that’s all we really have as far as a description goes at this point,” said Cooper.
Cooper said they believe the shooting was a close combat between the two individuals. He said there was “no reason to believe it was a drive by shooting” or any shooting from a long distance.
Police have spoken to witnesses at the crime scene and believe there were several people at the home or in the area at the time of the shooting.
This has been the fifth homicide this year in Charleston and the second shooting that occurred in the same area in just one week, according to police.
“The fact that there have been two shootings at the exact same place — that heightens the temperature on this investigation,” Cooper said.
It is unknown if drugs or alcohol were involved.
An autopsy is scheduled to be conducted Friday at the state Medical Examiner’s Office.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact the Charleston Police Department.