CINCINNATI (WKRC) – A man accused of killing his young neighbor in Forest Park pleaded not guilty to a murder charge on Tuesday.
38-year-old Domynic Elahee was arrested by Forest Park Police at the scene in Northland Village Monday night.
Elahee is accused of shooting 18-year-old Jaeden Smith when Smith and his younger brother went to Elahee’s apartment to discuss a bullying problem between Smith’s younger brother and Elahee’s son.
Smith’s 7-year-old brother saw him get shot.
“Where on his body?” said a 911 dispatcher.
“I don’t know. We were just outside, and he shot my brother. I pray that he’s alive,” said the 7-year-old boy.
Defense attorney Clyde Bennett said his client believed Smith had a gun and that Smith was agitated. Bennett said the shooting was a classic case of self-defense. He added that Elahee didn’t know Smith.
“Somebody’s banging at the door, and when the daughter opens the door, [Elahee is] being confronted with a person who appears to have a weapon. He’s mistaken. We’ll let the court decide that,” said Bennett.
Forest Park police said no gun was found on Smith or at his home. A detective also said the bullet ended up in the door of another apartment, causing the family who lived there to go to a hotel. Elahee’s wife said that Monday night was the first time she learned there was an ongoing conflict between the kids.
“The 7-year-old comes and knocks on my door every day and plays with my children. I was never made aware of any conflict with family,” said Elahee’s wife, Shanita Strayhorn.
Smith’s aunt said that all she knows is that an armed man shot an unarmed teenager.
“His son was bullying my 7-year-old nephew. My sister on numerous occasions tried to talk to his 11-year-old son to ask him not to bully my 7-year-old nephew,” said Smith’s aunt Lashawna Dawson.
As Judge Tyrone Yates was setting Elahee’s bond, a scuffle broke out in the gallery. Deputies had to evacuate the area. The courthouse was then evacuated. Only those having their cases heard could remain.
Judge Yates set bond at $1 million. If Elahee makes bond, he’s not allowed to have firearms and stay away from the neighborhood.
