CANTON, OH – A Canton police officer fatally shot 24-year-old Zachary J. Fornash on Tuesday night. The incident occurred in the vicinity of the 900 block of Alan Page Drive SE, a neighborhood characterized by numerous apartment buildings.
Police Chief John Gabbard stated that Fornash, a resident of Minerva, succumbed to his injuries after being transported to Aultman Hospital.
The responding officer, who was unharmed, had been flagged down during patrol; there was no 911 call associated with the incident.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) is currently leading the inquiry into the shooting. As of Wednesday morning, the identity of the involved officer had not been released, pending further disclosure of information related to the incident.
This event marks the third fatal shooting involving a Canton police officer since 2022, with previous incidents still under investigation by BCI. The Stark County Coroner’s Office announced that the autopsy will be conducted by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office.