CINCINNATI — Two people have been indicted for a shooting in Hamilton County outside of Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon’s house that left a 16-year-old boy injured last week.
On March 6, deputies with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office were called to the home of Joe Mixon, in Anderson Township, for a reported shooting.
When deputies arrived, they found a 16-year-old suffering from a gunshot wound to his foot after being shot at 10 to 11 times, according to a release from Hamilton County Prosecutor Melissa Powers.
Witnesses at the scene told deputies that the teen, who is Joe Mixon’s neighbor, had been playing Nerf wars in his yard with other teenagers when gunshots were fired. The teen reportedly told deputies that he heard multiple shots near his head and immediately ducked behind a tree, fearing for his life.
According to the release, deputies stopped a vehicle leaving the scene with two occupants inside, 34-year-old Shalonda Mixon, the sister of Joe Mixon, and her boyfriend, 34-year-old Lamonte Brewer.
During the stop, deputies found a Zastava pistol, in the trunk of the vehicle, which they later determined to be the gun used in the shooting incident.
Deputies then executed a search warrant for surveillance footage from Joe Mixon’s home which showed Brewer and Joe Mixon in his backyard. Brewer allegedly fired multiple shots at the teenager, according to the release.
The video shows Shalonda Mixon collecting shell casings from the yard before her and her boyfriend got into her vehicle, the prosecutor's office says.
Joe Mixon was seen carrying a firearm but did not fire any shots. He claimed to have been receiving death threats and was concerned for his safety after his sister told him there were people outside with guns.
The release says, since Joe Mixon is a legal gun owner, he did not commit a crime and had the right to possess a firearm.
Shalonda Mixon was indicted for tampering with evidence and obstructing justice. Brewer was indicted for felonious assault, tampering with evidence and having weapons while under disability.
Shalonda Mixon was arrested Thursday by the U.S. Marshals Service, Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST) and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, according to a spokesperson with SOFAST. Brewer has not yet been taken into custody.
Joe Mixon's agent Peter Schaffer released a statement, saying that the running back's address had been improperly released to the public and that he had been the victim of multiple threats of physical harm and harassment on social media and at his residence in Cincinnati.
Shaffer said that on March 6, Joe Mixon was at his home along with his sister, her five children, her boyfriend and his physical therapist when a number of vehicles pulled up in front of the house, blocking the street. Joe Mixon and his physical therapist reportedly witnessed multiple people exit the vehicles carrying what appeared to be weapons.
Schaffer also included the following in his statement:
"Threats against your life, cars blocking the streets, people running through the neighborhood with what appear to be firearms. Joe and his physical therapist felt threatened and feared for their safety and the safety of the small children in the residence. At this time, Joe called the Bengals director of security to have police dispatched immediately to the residence as he feared for the well being of everyone in the residence. The physical therapist called 911 from a separate room. This 911 call recording has been made public and clearly shows the level of fear and concern in his voice from the situation as he was hiding behind a column in the house. The adults inside then instructed the five small children to race to the basement to shelter in place out of harms way.
"Joe went outside for the purpose of trying to figure out what was going on outside his house. Joe had no intention to confront anyone, nor did he. He did not intend to threaten anyone,nor did he. He did not intend to shoot anyone, nor did he. He witnessed an individual carrying what appeared to be a rifle racing directly towards his property as the individual continued to bark instructions. When another individual discharged a firearm, Joe interceded to stop the person discharging a firearm."
The full statement can be read here.