A 15-year-old boy has been charged in the fatal shooting of a man who had “repeatedly” physically assaulted his mother.
In the early hours of Thursday, February 20, Cincinnati Police Department officers responded to reports of a shooting on Pasadena Avenue around 12:30AM, according to a news release.
Upon arrival, officers discovered the victim, later identified as Levonte Hyde, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Hyde was transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Later that day, officials, including the Cincinnati Police Department’s Homicide Unit, arrested a teen in connection with the killing and charged them with murder.
An affidavit obtained by Cleveland 19 revealed that the teen’s mother told police Hyde had punched her in the face multiple times while they were driving to a store on Febraury 20.
The two began to argue when Hyde allegedly called her a vulgar name before he “then began to hit (the) victim in the face several times with a closed fist while driving,” police stated.
Following the alleged assault, Hamilton County Municipal Court records reviewed by the outlet show that a warrant was issued for Hyde’s arrest on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge.
Law enforcement also requested a judge issue a temporary protection order for the woman against the 30-year-old man. Court records reportedly listed her as the “victim” and noted she had visible injuries on her face. Hyde was formally charged later that day.
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Cincinnati Police spokesman Lt. Jonathan Cunningham and a spokesperson for the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed to the outlet that the 15-year-old is one of the sons of the woman who accused Hyde of domestic violence.
However, the teen was not the late man’s biological son. The woman and Hyde share two children.
The fatal shooting occurred roughly 30 minutes after the alleged domestic violence incident, per PEOPLE.
Prosecutors alleged that the teen retrieved a firearm, waited for Hyde to arrive, and fired 12 rounds, resulting in his death.
During a hearing on Friday (Feb. 21), assistant prosecutor Tatyana Reintjes told the court: “[The teen] had time to find a firearm, open a safe, retrieve that firearm and waited, for the victim to arrive, and ultimately ended up firing 12 shots when the victim did succumb to his injuries,” per WLWT.
A judge has ruled that the suspect must remain in a detention center or shelter care until his next court appearance on March 3.
