Manhunt-related shooting was over meth

STEUBEN COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) – Steuben County Sheriff Tim Troyer announced at press conference Monday afternoon that a meth deal is what lead to an Angola man being shot and killed and a subsequent police chase and manhunt for the shooter early Sunday .

The entire incident started around 4 a.m. when police said Brent Donbroski, 40, arrived at 2980 N 300 E in Fremont to buy meth from Zao Burrell, 24.

For an unknown reason, police said Zao shot Donbroski in front of seven other people and then left the scene with his father, Danny and friend, Michael Forrester in Donbroski’s car.

After the three dropped off Donbroski’s car in Williams County, Ohio, they returned to the home in Fremont around 6 a.m., where a pursuit with police ensued.

When the pursuit ended, about a quarter of a mile east of County Road 1.50 near Columbia, Ohio, police said Zao got out of the vehicle, started shooting at the officer and then ran off.

At that point, officers took the elder Burrell and Forrester to the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio and booked them on various charges.

Air and ground units from multiple agencies, including SWAT and K-9, were used in the search for Burrell, but the major manhunt ended at 6 p.m. Sunday. Police followed up on leads and tips to find him.

Zao Burrell was at large until about 4:30 p.m. Monday afternoon when he was captured by Fort Wayne Police Department Vice Narcotics, Allen County Narcotics, the F.B.I. Safe Streets Task Force and the Indiana State Police in Ft. Wayne.

Sheriff Troyer said Zao Burrell now faces a murder charge for Donbroski's death.