DETROIT (WWJ) -- Detroit Police are investigating mysterious circumstances surrounding the case of a man found dead on the city's west side.
According to witnesses, the body of the victim — since identified as 41-year-old Ernest Thomas — was discovered lying on the sidewalk along Dexter, near W. Davison, at around 4 a.m. Wednesday.
Police talking to WWJ's Charlie Langton said it was determined that the man had been fatally shot, although there were no bullet casings found at the scene.
At this time, there have been no arrests and no suspects in the shooting have been named or described.
Langton said there are many unanswered questions in the case, including what led to the shooting.
"Several people around the neighborhood said they knew Ernest and he was a good guy, so why he would have been shot they just don't know," Langton reported.
Among those gathered at the scene was Thomas' live-in girlfriend Katrice Taylor, who was surprised to find that he wasn't at home, and went looking for him.
"So, when I went back down the street I see him laying on the ground, and I thought that he passed out. And I don't know if he got shot or jumped, but he was bleeding everywhere," Taylor said.
"I'm already going through a lot... Why did this happen?" she added, through tears.
Police roped off the scene and closed Dexter for several hours, but the roadway reopened shortly before 8 a.m.
The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information about this shooting can call Detroit Police or the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 1-800-SPEAK UP (1-800-773-2587).
