SEE AMAZON.COM DEALS FOR TODAY
Three men have been indicted in the fatal drive-by shooting of a 9-year-old girl in Silverton, Ohio. Qasseem Dixon, 25, and Ryan Brown, 27, are accused of murdering nine-year-old Da’Myiah Barton-Pickens in a drive-by shooting on July 10. Dixon has been indicted on charges including aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault, having weapons under disability, and tampering with evidence. Brown has been indicted for aggravated murder, murder, and felonious assault. If convicted, both face a possible sentence of life in prison without parole.
A third suspect, Demario Williams, 22, was indicted for tampering with evidence, obstructing justice, carrying concealed weapons, vehicular assault, and failure to stop after an accident. If convicted, he faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison.
According to the indictment, Dixon and Brown drove to Plainfield Road in Silverton and fired approximately 28 shots into a home. Inside the home were Da’Myiah Barton Pickens, her 9-year-old friend, and her grandmother. Da’Myiah’s friend was grazed by a bullet but survived, while Da’Myiah was struck in the chest and pronounced dead at the hospital.
The shooting took place while the two girls were dancing and making TikTok videos. Numerous shell casings were found at the scene, and investigators located both 9mm and .762 shell casings. During the investigation, the suspects were placed under surveillance.
The next day, Williams was observed placing a rifle bag in the trunk of his vehicle before driving away with Dixon. While under surveillance, Williams ran a red light and crashed into another car, seriously injuring the driver. Williams and Dixon then fled on foot, with Dixon discarding a loaded 9mm handgun. Police found a loaded SKS rifle in Williams’ trunk, and both firearms were determined to have been used in the shooting.
Dixon, Brown, and Williams are currently in custody at the Hamilton County Justice Center, with bonds ranging from $50,000 to $2.5 million. The case highlights the tragic consequences of gun violence and the need for stricter gun control measures to prevent such senseless acts..
