As John Weicker finishes his final two months of school, he’s counting down the days with a small ticker in his office.On Thursday, the counter read 44 days, plus a few hours, minutes and seconds.The 43-year-old man found shot dead in a parked car Saturday afternoon on Fort Wayne's near-northwest side has been identified.
Jerry W. Barker, a city resident, was pronounced dead in the 900 block of Herman Street, near Sherman Boulevard, according to the Allen County Coroner's Office.
About 1:30 p.m. Saturday, a neighbor heard a gunshot, looked out and saw a man running east, away from a gray sedan. Police were sent to the block, and they found Barker bleeding as he sat in the driver's seat of the sedan that was idling.
The coroner's office confirmed that Barker's death was a homicide and that he died from a gunshot wound or wounds.
Police believe the man seen running from the sedan was the shooter, but they cannot say so with certainty because they do not have an eyewitness to the shooting.
A description of the man who fled the scene was not released. No one reported seeing him carrying a gun, and no weapons were recovered, police said.
The driver's side window of the sedan was broken. The car, which belonged to the victim, had not been parked on the street for long, police said.
As of Saturday night, investigators had no suspects in the case and did not know of a motive.
