Marion, OH — Marion Police have arrested two suspects and recovered multiple firearms following a shooting and vehicle pursuit Sunday evening, February 22.
Around 6:20 p.m., Marion Central Dispatch received several reports of gunfire in the 500 block of Clinton Street. Officers responding to the area found evidence of an exchange of gunfire in the roadway and spotted a vehicle speeding away from the scene.
Police attempted to stop the fleeing vehicle, prompting a pursuit that ended when the car crashed on Campbell Road near the railroad tracks. Two suspects ran from the scene but were quickly apprehended — one by Police K9 Shanel and the other after a brief foot chase. A third person was found inside the vehicle suffering from a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
Investigators believe the injured suspect was shot during the initial exchange on Clinton Street, where about six individuals were reportedly involved in the gunfire. Four guns have been recovered so far.
Detectives say the preliminary investigation indicates the suspects in the crashed vehicle traveled to Marion intending to rob another group during a drug-related transaction. The attempted robbery escalated into a “significant exchange of gunfire” between both groups, police said.
Since the incident, investigators have executed eleven search warrants as the case continues to develop.
As a result, 19-year-old Trevon Scales of Mount Gilead and 17-year-old Michael Miller of Marion have been arrested and charged with aggravated robbery. Kayden Mendoza, 20, of Marengo, was taken to a Columbus-area hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound sustained during the incident.
Police say further arrests and charges are expected as the investigation remains active.