Shocking courtroom brawl breaks out during first appearance by suspect accused of gunning down teen
Shocking video shows a huge fight breaking out in an Ohio courtroom as an accused murderer appeared hours after allegedly confessing to fatally shooting a teenage neighbor.
The fight started as Domynic Elahee, 38, appeared in Hamilton County Courthouse in Cincinnati on Tuesday on charges of murdering 18-year-old Jaden Smith the previous night — which the suspect allegedly claimed was self-defense, .
As the slain teen’s loved ones packed a screened-off audience area, a man in a black hoodie was seen suddenly striding aggressively across the room — getting held back as he reached up a hand and started making what appeared to be a gun gesture.
As he was held back, others ran over and started throwing punches, the footage shows.
At least a dozen people — including numerous women — got caught up in the brawl, with Hamilton County deputies struggling to separate them, the footage shows.
Despite the court hearing being abruptly halted over the wild scene, no arrests were made, according to the sheriff’s office.
Elahee is accused of “knowingly causing the death of Jaden Smith by shooting him in the chest with a handgun” following a “verbal altercation” the teen had with the Elahee’s 11-year-old son, according to an affidavit .
Elahee was taken into custody shortly afterward and charged with murder based on his “admission of the facts, officer’s investigation, and death of the victim,” the affidavit said.
Elahee’s lawyer claims he shot in self-defense after Smith came to his apartment with a gun, but no such weapon was found, investigators said in court.
He is due back in court on May 15 to appear before a grand jury.
Chilling 911 calls capture the moment a bullet flew through a neighbor’s door during the shooting.
“There was, um, just a shooting. Somebody said they were shot, and I did hear a loud boom. I’m okay, but I think the bullet came through my front door, actually. Somebody screamed,” the caller said, as .
“They screamed, ‘Someone just shot me,’ and I could hear them running away. The bullet was really loud, though,” they said.
