COLUMBUS, Ohio — A man charged in the fatal shooting of a 13-year-old boy who witnesses say shot at him first took a plea deal on Friday.
Krieg Butler, 38, was originally charged with murder for the October 2022 shooting of Sinzae Reed, but prosecutors revealed that several witnesses came forward and said Reed shot at Butler first while he was inside a truck. Butler then got out of his truck and fatally shot Reed.
In a statement from Columbus police, during the homicide review, Butler made an allegation that he had acted in self-defense.
Once the Franklin County Prosecutor's Office learned of the allegation, the charges against Butler were dropped, pending the completion of the investigation.
The shooting happened in the Wedgewood Village Apartments complex in the Hilltop neighborhood.
Police did not find a gun on Reed but, according to the prosecutor, witnesses said they saw someone move a gun away from Reed before officers arrived.
A Franklin County grand injury did indict Butler on one count of improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle and one count of tampering with evidence, both of which are felonies. The jury decided not to charge him with murder.
Butler took a plea deal on Friday and pleaded guilty to the two charges he was facing. He is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 2.
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