Prosecutors: Springfield man accused in murder fired into crowd of people

A fatal shooting in a local bar last summer occurred when a man standing trial in the shooting fired a gun into a crowd of people, a new court document reveals.

New details outlining the charges against Gabriel Crossley, 31, were filed in Clark County Common Pleas Court Friday. He is charged with murder and two counts of felonious assault. He has pleaded not guilty.

A court document filed by Clark County Assistant Prosecutor Brian Driscoll on Friday says Crossley opened fire at the Wagon Wheel bar on June 17, 2018.

“The defendant did purposefully fire a deadly weapon (firearm) into a crowd of people multiple times with the purpose to cause physical harm and death,” the court record says. “One round struck the victim causing his death. The defendant then removed the firearm and discarded it impairing its availability as evidence in this matter.”

Springfield police say Jahream Beard, 35, of Springfield, was killed in the shooting. Two others were shot, according to police, but neither suffered life-threatening injuries.

Crossley is due back in court on July 15 for a jury trial, online court records say.

Springfield police responded to the bar at around 2:40 a.m. that day due to multiple people being shot, according to a Springfield police report. When they arrived, Beard was laying in the parking lot not moving.

A licensed practical nurse was giving Beard CPR when police arrived, the report says. The report says when medic units arrived they were unable to find a pulse for Beard.

The two surviving victims nor witnesses could give police a good description of the suspect, the report says. It is still unclear what prompted the attack.

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