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Vigil for Neighborhood Advocate Killed in Wilkes-Barre

WILKES-BARRE — No arrests have been made yet in connection with a deadly shooting on Friday in Wilkes-Barre. Around 75 people gathered on Willow Street fo...

WILKES-BARRE -- No arrests have been made yet in connection with a deadly shooting on Friday in Wilkes-Barre. Around 75 people gathered on Willow Street for a vigil honoring the victim, Donald Bachman.

Neighbors called Bachman the unofficial mayor of Willow Street, for his leadership in keeping the area safe through his neighborhood watch.

"Everywhere you went, whenever I came home, wherever we went, every knew Donnie," said Michael Bachman, his cousin. "He'd give anyone the shirt off his back."

Police say Bachman was gunned down just feet from his door early Friday morning. They added someone confronted Bachman and then shot him.

Court papers show just this past Thursday, the 49 year old reported to police that he saw two people steal a screen door from a vacant home across the street from his house.

"He's not the type of guy that would pull his shades, turn out the lights, and hope people didn't see him," added Michael Bachman. "He's the type of guy that was going to confront people he saw doing something wrong."

Police are still looking for the two people in connection to that theft. Investigators told Newswatch 16 on Friday that they believe Bachman was targeted. Investigators are looking through surveillance footage from a camera located outside his home.

Many of Bachman's neighbors declined to identify themselves on camera because they say the the fear of retaliation is all too real.

"It's very traumatic," said one neighbor. "Just an absolute complete shock to all of us. It really is. We didn't think something like this could ever happen in our neighborhood."

"[He] tried to help the neighbors out," said another. "[He] tried to do good. He always watched down the street to help the neighbors out."

"Justice is everything," another added. "It's not right for what happened to him. He was just trying to help."

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