Fairfield restaurant shooting suspect to remain in jail

The 31-year-old immigrant in the country illegally, accused of firing a weapon at a car full of people on June 8, is likely to remain in jail regardless of the bond set.

Jose Ciprian Ramirez-Hernandez was directly indicted on six charges of felonious assault and on Thursday was arraigned on those charges. Butler County Common Pleas Judge Daniel Haughey set a cash or surety bond at $250,000. However, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kraig Chadrick said since Ramierz-Hernandez was detained by the U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, “they have no intention of releasing him until this case is completed.”

Ramierz-Hernandez of Cincinnati retained area attorney Scott Croswell, but on Thursday, attorney Jesse Knowlden was in court on his behalf and entered a not guilty plea to the second-degree felonies.

Fairfield police claim Ramierz-Hernandez fired a weapon into a car full of people at Sabor Peruano, a nightclub and restaurant on Dixie Highway. Police officers responded to the shooting report and found a male victim with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the arm. That victim was transported to a local hospital and later released.

Credit: Michael D. Pitman

Credit: Michael D. Pitman

Knowlden told the judge the action was in self-defense when discussing bond. He also said Ramirez-Hernandez is not a flight risk, having been in the country since he was 12 years old, owning a home and a roofing business, and having a wife with four children.

Chadrick said his action — discharging a firearm and striking an individual — “creates a significant risk to public safety.”

If Ramierz-Hernandez posts the bond, he’s required to have a GPS monitor and have no contact with the alleged victims. He is scheduled to reappear in court at 1 p.m. on Sept. 9 or a plea or trial setting hearing.

Ramirez-Hernandez had been in the Butler County Jail since Aug. 22, detained on an ICE holder.

The June 8 shooting was one of several incidents at Sabor Peruano that prompted the Fairfield Police Department to contact the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, ICE and other federal agencies, to initiate what they called a targeted operation on Aug. 16, where 39 were arrested either in the parking lot of the establishment or during nearby traffic stops.

Issues date back to 2021, according to police, where department officials met with the owners of Sabor Peruano, asking them to get control of their patrons. In the past year, there were 42 calls for service, including two shootings, the one on June 8 and another on June 27, which involved a shooting victim being found at the Speedway across Dixie Highway.

Other issues at Sabor Peruano include a 2022 stabbing and consistent complaints from area businesses about patrons spilling into the parking lot, fighting and driving drunk, and causing property damage.

Credit: Nick Graham

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About the Author

Michael D. Pitman

Michael D. Pitman has been a reporter in southwest Ohio since 1999. He's covered local governments in Warren and Butler counties, as well as state and national issues. He currently covers the cities of Fairfield and Hamilton.