Man charged in slaying of customer in Ohio Walmart

A man accused of shooting a customer to death in an Ohio Walmart store while fleeing during an attempted theft is facing murder and other charges.

Fairfield Township police said 32-year-old Anthony F. Brown of Hamilton is charged with aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and a weapons count, and they said more charges may be filed.

Police said a man tried to steal items from the Fairfield Township store’s electronics department shortly before 8 p.m. Thursday. Police said two shoppers tried to stop him. The suspect pulled a gun and fired, killing one customer and seriously wounding an employee.

Police said the suspect was tracked to a Middletown hotel, where Brown was arrested after police said he jumped from a first-floor window and tried to run, dropping a handgun.

The Butler County coroner said Friday that 35-year-old Adam Black of Columbus was the man shot and killed. His ex-girlfriend, Jamie Redmond, told WSYX-TV that Black had moved to Cincinnati about a month ago, was expecting a baby with his fiance and was in the store shopping for furniture for their new home.

“Adam cared about people and that’s why he stepped into that situation because he wanted to do the right thing and he cared,” Redmond said.

Fairfield Township Police Capt. Doug Lanier called it “a very tragic incident.”

“I can’t even begin to fathom or speak for the people that were working here. Or shopping here when this occurred,” Lanier said.

During a court hearing Friday, a Butler County judge set bail for Brown at $5 million, an amount defense attorney Clyde Bennett II called excessive and unconstitutional. Bennett vowed to challenge the bail amount in the Butler County Court of Common Pleas and the 12th District Court of Appeals if necessary.

“We look forward to our day in court,” Bennett said. “He is presumed innocent and I am going to conduct my investigation and find out what evidence they have supporting the charges against hm.”

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Brown posted $200,000 bond in a separate armed robbery case about six months ago. County prosecutors said he is accused in the Oct. 23 robbery of a Minnicks Drive-Thru convenience store in Hamilton. Bennett is representing Brown in that case as well.