In the midst of a chaotic Monday night in Morrisville, North Carolina, with firefighters battling a massive apartment blaze, a separate tragedy unfolded at the nearby Park West Village shopping center. Zachary David Horn, a 45-year-old man, was fatally shot on February 23, 2026, in what appears to be a sudden act of violence that has left friends and the community in shock. The incident occurred around 9:30 p.m. near the Crumbl cookie store. Horn was rushed to a local hospital but ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Witnesses reported that an argument may have preceded the shooting.
Following the sound of a gunshot, the alleged shooter, identified as 55-year-old John Willis Fraizer III, also of Morrisville, reportedly entered the nearby Ruckus Pizza, Pasta & Spirits. It was there that the restaurant's general manager, Zek Silva, with the help of another bystander, heroically tackled and disarmed Fraizer. Silva then rendered aid to Horn until emergency medical technicians arrived on the scene. Police quickly took Fraizer into custody and, according to arrest warrants, he was charged with murder and discharging a firearm within the city. The weapon used was alleged to be a. 22 caliber revolver.
In the wake of the shooting, John Willis Fraizer III made his first court appearance where a judge denied him bond, ensuring he would remain in jail. Court records revealed a prior conviction for Fraizer for carrying a concealed weapon in Charlotte in 1995. Public records indicate that Fraizer is a principal engineer at Oracle Corporation and a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. Authorities have not yet released a motive for the shooting as the investigation continues.
Friends of Zachary David Horn remember him as a kind man and a loving father to his three daughters. They described him as a hardworking individual who frequented the Park West Village area, one of his favorite places. Antwain Booth, a friend who had known Horn since 2007, expressed his devastation, stating he had spoken to him just days before his death. Another friend, Parker Bryant, who met Horn in 2019 while they worked as tile installers, looked up to him as a father figure who was always there for people in their darkest times. The community has been left reeling from the senseless act of violence.
