COLUMBUS, Ohio — A 21-year-old man pleaded guilty and was sentenced to more than 30 years in prison for a gang-related shooting incident in Whitehall over two years ago.
Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Gary Tyack said Breon Kelly, of Columbus, was the third and final person to plead guilty in the shooting. Larry Latham III, 21, and Mark Smith Jr., 21, both pleaded guilty last year.
The shooting happened on Jan. 23, 2022, after a large fight at a bar at 5200 Riding Club Lane in Whitehall.
Kelly, Latham and Smith got into a car and chased another vehicle with three people inside. Smith and Kelly both fired guns at the other car, the prosecuting attorney's office said. Kelly modified his gun to be fully automatic via the use of a Glock switch.
The bullets hit the targeted vehicle and two other vehicles in the area, including one with a 7-year-old child inside.
Kelly was the only suspect of the three men to take his case to trial. Right before opening statements, he pled guilty and was immediately sentenced to 32 to 33.5 years in prison.
His charges include two counts of attempted murder with drive-by, automatic firearm and criminal gang specifications, one count of discharge over prohibited premises with an automatic firearm specification and one count of having a weapon while under a disability.
Last year, Latham was sentenced to 11 to 13.5 years in prison and Smith was sentenced to 17 to 20 years in prison.