Bond set at $1 million for Kettering murder suspect

Credit: Montgomery County Jail

Credit: Montgomery County Jail

Bond is set at $1 million for a Trotwood man accused of shooting a killing a 21-year-old Dayton man at a Kettering gas station on Saturday.

Ja’Leel Raymon Brooks, 21, is facing two counts of murder and four counts of felonious assault in the death of Anthony Gray Jr., according to Kettering court records.

Brooks was arraigned in Kettering Municipal Court Tuesday. His next hearing is scheduled for April 6.

He is accused of shooting Gray more than 10 times while Gray was inside a car at the BP gas station on South Smithville Road. A bullet also hit Demarque Young, who was sitting in the backseat of the vehicle, in the leg, according to a court affidavit.

The shooting took place after Brooks and Gray got into an argument while Gray was driving Brooks, Young and a woman around, Kettering Police Chief Chip Protsman said.

At some point during the argument, Gray pulled the vehicle into the gas station parking lot. Brooks got out of the car and reportedly shot through the driver’s window multiple times.

Two Kettering police officers were making a routine check of the business at the time and were inside the gas station store when they heard gunfire.

“Officers exited the building and then observed Ja’Leel Brooks standing between two vehicles by the gas pumps,” Protsman said. “He was ordered to show his hands, and at that point an officer observed him drop a handgun to the ground.”

Once Brooks was taken into custody, the officers found the two victims.

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