A fatal shooting near a car wash on New Road in Austintown on Wednesday morning, May 13, 2026, is being classified by local police as a justified act of self-defense. Officials said their review indicates the person who fired did so in response to an immediate, violent threat.

Investigators pointed to surveillance footage that captured the sequence leading up to the gunfire. According to police, the man who was killed was 30-year-old Zachary Fisher, who was pursuing his ex-girlfriend’s vehicle.

Authorities said the video shows Fisher chasing the vehicle and then wrecking his truck near the location. Immediately afterward, police reported, he moved to confront the occupied vehicle and began an assault while armed.

Inside the targeted vehicle were two young children and a male passenger, according to police. Officials said the armed attack on the vehicle occurred with the children still inside, escalating the danger to everyone present.

Police have stated that, based on the evidence they have reviewed, the shooting is being treated as a clear-cut case of self-defense. From a public-safety and individual-rights standpoint, the incident underscores why lawful self-protection is a fundamental last resort when a violent aggressor forces a life-or-death situation on innocent people.