Man shot by Springfield officer indicted on attempted murder charges

Police met with gunfire at gas station as officers responded to call for help.

Credit: Marshall Gorby

Credit: Marshall Gorby

The man injured in a gunfire exchange with Springfield officers on Nov. 13 has been indicted on attempted murder charges and other counts.

Springfield police on Monday identified the man as Michael P. Williams, 44, of Springfield.

He was indicted in Clark County Common Pleas Court the same day on two counts of attempted murder, two counts of felonious assault and a count of having weapons under disability, according to the Clark County Prosecutor’s Office.

The city announced in a release on Monday morning that Williams remained hospitalized. He is not listed as an inmate of Clark County Jail as of Monday afternoon.

Williams was injured after police responded to the Sunoco gas station at 720 Selma Road on a report of aggravated menacing — a man threatening people with a gun and attempting to enter the building.

“Someone pulled a gun on my store,” the gas station’s manager told dispatchers early that day. He called dispatchers minutes later to let them know the armed man was knocking on the windows and locked doors of the gas station convenience store.

“I don’t want you to open the door for him for any reason,” the dispatcher told the caller.

Officers arrived minutes later, and Williams reportedly confronted and shot at police, the incident report said.

Police returned fire and struck him. Investigators have not released how many times Williams was hit by bullets.

Williams was first taken to Springfield Regional Medical Center and later transported to Miami Valley Hospital for his injuries. Officials at the Dayton hospital did not return a request for comment on his condition on Monday.

Police interviewed a person at the gas station who said they met Williams and rode in his car to a fast-food restaurant and then to the gas station, where the suspect parked his vehicle at a pump, according to an incident report.

Williams then pulled out a handgun from his hoodie pocket and loaded it with a cartridge, telling his passenger that he was a member of the Ku Klux Klan and was sent to kill the passenger, according to the incident report.

The passenger left the vehicle and walked into the convenience store of the gas station to ask employees for help, according to the incident report.

SPD continues its investigation into the aggravated menacing report and shots fired at officers.

After the shooting, Springfield police asked the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation to take over the investigation of the officer-involved shooting portion of the case. BCI continues its investigation and has not released any details thus far.

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