Police trying to determine if Ohio homeowner was justified in killing two teens
The families of two teenagers who were shot and killed after allegedly trespassing outside a home in Dayton, Ohio, are demanding accountability. The homeowner admitted he shot Javier Harrison and Devin Henderson on Wednesday. Police said the teens may have been involved in drug activity on the property.
Police are trying to determine whether this is a case of justifiable self-defense. Jimmy Harrison, Javier Harrison's father, said the unidentified homeowner knew his son, but police haven't confirmed that.
"I want answers," Jimmy Harrison said.
Harrison said he feels like the shooting was premeditated.
"It wasn't in your house, it was in the garage," Harrison said. "You seeing some perps out there at your garage, you know, so my first instinct is call the police. I feel like he took the law into his own hands."
The homeowner told police he saw a light in his garage Wednesday and found three people sitting inside a car. Police said he fired his revolver multiple times, killing the two teens. The third person ran away but returned when police arrived.
"It's gonna take time for us to comb through the evidence, to present that to the prosecutor's office and for them to determine whether in fact this is justifiable self-defense or whether this is a criminal act," Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl said.
Prosecutors have a high standard to prove it was a crime. Just this year, Ohio joined many other states in requiring prosecutors to prove a homeowner did not act in self-defense.
While police ask for patience during the investigation, the victims' families want answers now.
"I'm broken. I'm still broken," Jaylynn Harrison said. "My baby brother, my baby. He didn't even get to see his 18th birthday, my baby."
Police took the homeowner into custody for questioning but later released him. They are still combing through evidence and haven't said whether the teens were armed, but the family of Javier Harrison said he never carried a weapon.
