In an unrelated incident, Aryah Mobley, 21, was arrested and charged with aggravated burglary and domestic violence in connection with a fatal shooting Tuesday, May 20. Mobley was not the shooter according to police. Sgt. James Byron said Wednesday that Mobley and an accomplice, Brian Hinshaw, broke into a home in the 600 block of South Lowry Avenue, and the owner shot Hinshaw dead.
A third shooting death that happened May 14 at 2:24 p.m. near South Limestone Street and Euclid Avenue is still under investigation, Byron said.
“There’s no connection between any of the three of them, so it‘s just an unfortunate series of events,” Byron said in response to a question about the frequency of shootings in the past two weeks.
Detectives have worked around the clock to investigate the shootings and are focused on finding justice for the victims, Byron said. He said the department’s “resolve has never been stronger.”
“It might be taxing, but the community deserves this,” Byron said. He asked for continued cooperation from the public.
Lowry Avenue shooting Tuesday
The Lowry Avenue shooting happened at 5:32 p.m., with Mobley allegedly knocking on the homeowner‘s door and banging on the windows, according to an incident report. Hinshaw, 18, was allegedly with her. Mobley and the homeowner share a toddler.
Mobley then allegedly opened the outer storm door and continued knocking and tried to open the inner door. The homeowner then opened the inner door and Mobley allegedly “starts to strike him about the face,” before pushing inside and assaulting him before fleeing.
Byron said the homeowner fired a shot and Hinshaw was killed.
Doorbell camera corroborates the homeowner‘s story, police said in the affidavit.
The homeowner, who Byron declined to identify, will go in front of the grand jury for consideration of charges, but police are not pursuing charges, the sergeant said.
Mobley could face a murder charge, depending on the grand jury’s decision on whether to indict the homeowner, Byron said.
Buckeye Street May 14 shooting
Just after 3 a.m. May 14, police responding to reports of a shooting on Buckeye Street found Randy Graham with a gunshot wound on the right side of his chest near the right armpit. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
Police arrested Thomas after watching video footage of the incident.
Police said there was some type of party at the Buckeye Street address. Thomas told police, according to the report, that he felt threatened by Graham, leading him to brandish his rifle and shoot. Footage shows Graham jog toward the Buckeye Street home and onto the porch, then the sound of breaking glass can be heard, according to the affidavit.
Graham then stepped off the porch and turned to face the front door before the sound of gunfire was heard, according to the report. Police said Thomas was visible standing at the front door holding his rifle “level toward Graham’s direction.”
Graham ran as shots continued, before collapsing.
According to a probable cause affidavit, police learned Graham was killed with a short barrel rifle that was not compliant with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives requirements, which is the reason for the unlawful possession of a dangerous ordnance charge.
Limestone and Euclid Avenue May 14 shooting
Sixteen-year-old Da’Meko Taborn was shot and killed May 14, found in a black SUV crashed into a house on the northeast corner of Limestone Street and Euclid Avenue. He had a gunshot wound to his head.
About 20 minutes later, another shooting was reported in the 200 block of East Euclid Avenue, a few blocks away. Police found a man with multiple gunshot wounds, and he was transported to Springfield Regional Medical Center before being transferred to Miami Valley Hospital.
The shooting on East Euclid is believed to be connected to Taborn’s murder, Byron said previously.
Police have received multiple tips and are developing leads, Byron said. He declined to share suspect information. No arrests have been made.
Plea for gun violence to stop
Springfield Police Chief Allison Elliott said in a statement that the agency continues its commitment “to reducing violence and strengthening public safety throughout the city.”
Earlier this year the federal government abruptly canceled a community violence prevention grant soon after approving budget revisions, freezing $1.24 million that had been allocated for Springfield’s efforts to curb gun violence. The local committee is currently in the appeals process.
“Despite the recent federal decision to cut CVIPI funding, our commitment to the people of Springfield has never been stronger,” Elliott said. “We will continue to invest in proactive intervention, community engagement and strategic prevention efforts. These challenges continue to strengthen our determination to create real, lasting change for our community.”
Residents should be vigilant and aware of their surroundings, Byron said.
“If you see something, say something,” Byron said. “We’ve made arrests in two of these cases. Our intention is to make arrests in the third.”
Tuesday’s shooting brought Springfield’s homicide total to seven for the year, surpassing the total for all of 2024. The annual homicide total in Springfield for the past five years has ranged from five to 10 each year.
Byron said at a Friday press conference said that the city is “well ahead of where we should be,” with the total number of homicides by this time of year, statistically speaking.
“This has to stop. Enough is enough,” Elliott said. “When you’re watching families grieve at a crime scene, watching families in agony and pain, and understanding the impact that has, we have to see that. We have to understand that we have to come together as a community. ... Public safety and safety is a shared responsibility.”
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