Coroner: Fairfield senior died of gunshot wounds; death a homicide

The shooting death of a Fairfield High School senior found dead on Charles Street in Hamilton has been officially been ruled a homicide by the Butler County Coroner’s Office.

Jaylon Alexander Knight, 18, died of gunshot wounds, the coroner's report says. He was found dead about 6 a.m. March 11 in a car on Charles Street. When officers and emergency crews arrived in the 300 block of Charles Street, they found a vehicle resting in front of a house, just shy of striking the structure.

In the driver’s seat was Knight, slumped over the steering wheel “with a large amount of blood inside the vehicle,” Robinson said.

“Some gunshots were seen coming through the driver’s side door, and the driver was found deceased at the time,” he said.

Knight was scheduled to graduate in May, according to Gina Gentry-Fletcher, Fairfield City Schools spokeswoman. He was a described as a “good kid” by the football coach and was a member of the team in 2014, Gentry-Fletcher said.

A fundraiser will be held next week for the family of Jaylon Knight to help pay for funeral expenses, according to the Fundraiser for Jaylon Knight Facebook page. The event is from 7 to 11 p.m. March 22 at Fairfield Banquet & Convention Center (Tori's Station), 74 Donald Drive, Fairfield.

Friday’s shooting was the city’s ninth of 2016, and its third homicide. Hamilton police Officer Kristy Collins said there have been four felonious assaults, one suicide and one improperly discharging a firearm into a habitation investigations involving guns this year.

A 911 caller who identified herself as Tiara Tipton told a dispatcher she saw bullet holes in the car.

“I went around it and seen that someone was in it (the car) … there is like bullet holes in it and the car is still running,” she said in the 911 call.

Tipton, who lives on Charles Street, told the Journal-News she heard four gunshots Friday morning. She immediately got up and saw a car running outside the house. Tipton said she and her aunt shined flashlights into the car but didn’t see anyone inside.

A reward is being offered for information that will lead to the arrest of Knight’s killer.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the detectives at the Hamilton Police Department at 513-868-5811, ext. 2002.

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