Police pursuing leads in triple shooting that killed a Hamilton teen: What we know

Drive-by violence targeting people sitting on a porch, a ‘cowardly act,’ police chief says.

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

Hamilton police are actively investigating leads in the fatal shooting early Friday morning on Second Street.

Mikina Riley, a Miami School student in the Hamilton district, was shot and killed while sitting on the porch at about 12:46 a.m. Two men were also wounded but are recovering.

The Butler County Coroner’s Office said Riley died of a gunshot wound and the death has been ruled a homicide.

Two Hamilton men, Antonio Lakei Wilson, 20, of Edison Avenue, and Landon Michael Davis, 18, of Heaton Street, were injured by gunfire, police said. Wilson had stomach and leg wounds and Davis suffered a wound to the upper arm.

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

Just after the shooting, Hamilton Police Chief Craig Bucheit called the gun violence “cowardly.”

“This is a targeted and cowardly act. This is such a tragic and unnecessary loss of a young life,” he said.

Dispatchers received two frantic 911 calls reporting the shooting.

A female caller said, “Three people shot. We need an ambulance now.”

The woman said she and others were inside the house watching a movie when the shooting happened.

“We have somebody dead … they are on the porch,” she says later in the call. She indicated a white vehicle drove by and three people were shot.

The gun violence happened in the 1200 block of South Second near the intersection of Knightsbridge Drive. The residential building is attached to a church.

Bucheit told the Journal-News this week the detectives do believe the incident is gang related.

“The investigation is ongoing. It is very active. We do have a number of leads that we are following up on,” Bucheit said. “We do know that some of the folks involved here are associated with criminal gangs. It is highly likely that this is related on some level to gangs crime.”

A number of people have come forward with information, but the chief said more help is needed.

“We know there are people in the public who have information. We’ve had people come forward but there are other witnesses who have information who need to come forward. We are appealing to anyone with information to get in touch with us. No detail that is too small,” Bucheit said.

There had been no arrests as of Tuesday afternoon. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Tony Keip at 513-868-5811 ext. 1261.

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

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