Dearmond was flown by medical helicopter to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton where he was later pronounced dead, family members confirmed.
Springfield Police Captain Michael P. Hill said the incident remains under investigation and urged anyone with information about the shooting to contact police at (937) 324-7685 or (937) 324-7716.
Hill refused to provide additional information about the shooting.
However, Dearmond’s friends say he was shot twice, including once in the head.
Dearmond’s mother, Charlotte, 63, said she hopes police arrest her son’s killers.
“We hope to get the ones that shot him down and bring them to justice,” Charlotte Dearmond said.
Court records show Dearmond had a criminal record, but friends of the victim say he had changed.
“He tried to do what he could to help the community. Kids who couldn’t afford to get their hair cut, he would cut their hair for free,” Owen Bronston, 48, of Springfield.
The Rev. Robert Buford stood outside the barber shop Saturday afternoon angry that the man he had talked to three weeks ago had been killed.
Buford, who is a part of Peacekeepers, a national nonviolent initiative, said the incident was likely the result of tension that grew from a fight at a bar earlier this year and a shooting that occurred in the 700 block of South Center Street in February.
“We foreseen this,” Buford said. “I was here three weeks ago trying to squash this beef. He assured me he was going to do what he could to squash it. But one thing led to another and that’s what has brought us to this moment.”
Billy Mitchell, 60, who lives near the barber shop, said he had never heard of any trouble at the business.
“He’s a real nice guy to me. He would always talk to me when he saw me or if I was out cutting the grass. It’s just sad,” Mitchell said.
Chris Dearmond Sr. is survived by his 11 children and 14 grandchildren, his mother said.
“Chris was a good man, a good father, a good grandfather and a good husband. He would do anything to help out the community. They all loved him. He’s going to be greatly missed.”
About the Author