Witness-victim in active deputy shooter case indicted

A key witness and alleged victim of the man accused of shooting a Warren County Sheriff’s deputy in June has been indicted on charges of receiving stolen property and forgery.

Jason M. Ratliff, 22, testified against his neighbor, Mohammed Laghaoui, during a hearing in Mason Municipal Court after Laghaoui was arrested and charged with shooting his father and Deputy Katie Barnes, and shooting at Ratliff, during the June 9 active shooter incident at the Orchards of Landen apartment complex.

Laghaoui, 19, remains in the Warren County Jail on $2 million bond, facing attempted murder, felonious assault and other charges, some alleging he shot at Ratliff and fired rounds found in the closet of Ratliff's child's bedroom.

In an indictment made public today, Ratliff is alleged to have been in possession of a stolen, forged check on March 21.

“He ends up being a defendant in one case and a victim in another. That’s not unusual in our line of work,” Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell said Monday.

Authorities continue to search for the automatic rifle Laghaoui allegedly used in the incident and Laghaoui is pursuing a not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity defense.

Still Fornshell said he was confident of convicting Laghaoui and questioned whether the charges against Ratliff would weaken his credibility.

“There’s a heck of a lot of other corroborating evidence,” Fornshell said. “I would be more concerned, if the case rose and fell with Jason Ratliff.”

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