Facebook Devin Henderson and Javier Harrison.
Javier Harrison and Devin Henderson are the Ohio teenagers who police say were shot and killed by a homeowner who claims they were trespassing on his property. Harrison’s family has spoken out to insist otherwise. “My baby brother didnt deserve to die,” his brother wrote on Facebook.
Both Devin and Javier were 17-years-old. The homeowner has not yet been identified. Police have not said whether the teens were armed. Both teenagers are from Dayton, Ohio. The shooting occurred in the 800 block of Conners Street. Police received the call just after 9:30 p.m. on August 28, 2019. Some local news outlets called the victim Devon Henderson, but his Facebook page shows he goes by Devin Henderson.
Police were questioning the homeowner.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Harrison’s Father Told Local TV That the Boys Had Been in the Homeowner’s Garage Before
Javier Harrison
Jimmy Harrison, the father of Javier Harrison, spoke to WHIO.com.
“It wasn’t in your house, it was in your garage,” said Jimmy Harrison. “That’s like 10 feet away from your house, you know so that means you’re seeing some perps out there at your garage, you know, so my first instinct is to call the police.”
He claimed to the television station that the two teens had been at the garage before, saying, “I want answers because they have always been there smoking weed in that garage or whatever you want to call it. They always have been there, and they always hung there smoking weed in that garage.”
Jimmy Harrison told the television station: “It is wrongdoing, it was wrongdoing.” Harrison’s brother, also named Jimmy, wrote on Facebook, “I MISS YOU BABY BROTHER PLEASE COME BACK. THIS SH*T HURTING MY WHOLE SOUL.” He added, “Seeing my dad crying just took me into a whole different person.”
Police Chief Richard Biehl said in a press conference that it was “deeply tragic that two 17-year-olds lost their lives.”
He said the homeowner heard voices and noises outside his home and went outside. He noticed a light coming from a car in a detached garage. He went to the garage and encountered three people in the garage. He fired multiple shots with a revolver. The third individual fled the scene, and the homeowner called 911. He was taken into custody, interviewed, and released, pending further investigation.
The third individual was arrested on a breaking and entering charge. Police are consulting with prosecutors due to changes in Ohio law relating to justifiable self defense. The burden of proof is now on the state to prove the case was not a case of self defense. In the past, the burden was on the homeowner.
“It will take time for us to comb through the evidence,” the chief said. It will ultimately be up to prosecutors to decide whether it’s a criminal act or justifiable self defense.
The homeowner “heard noises outside. He actually retrieved that firearm and came outside with it in hand,” Biehl said.
Police are still waiting to examine the inside of the vehicle. The teens were outside the vehicle when police arrived, he said. He wouldn’t comment on the nature of their wounds.
The garage was open. It wasn’t secured, the chief said. “There was some drug activity occurring at that time. Exactly what they were intending to do was not clear.”
The garage is detached from the home. There’s a question whether the castle doctrine applies to this case because it was a garage, the chief said. No other weapons were recovered at the scene, but police haven’t gone inside the car yet so they don’t know if the juveniles had weapons.
2. A 911 Call Captures the Homeowner Saying He Shot Two People
The 911 dispatcher wasn’t able to understand the homeowner at first because of his accent. The 911 call captures the homeowner allegedly saying he needed police because “I shot two guys. I shot two persons.” He appears to then say that they “tried to rob… to do something in my house,” but that part is hard to hear.
“Where are the males at?” the dispatcher asks, and the homeowner repeats the address of his home.
“You chased them?”
“I shoot two persons,” he says.
“You shot them?”
“Yes.”
He then said they were “in the garage.”
“Are they dead?”
“They are in the garage. They are on the floor.”
The dispatcher asked where the gun was. The homeowner said, “I have it right here in my hand.”
The dispatcher asked if he could put it away somewhere safe and he said “yes, I will put it on the floor.” He said he was alone.
3. Police Say the Man Claimed the Teens Were ‘Trespassing’ on the Property
Devin Henderson
Police gave a few details about how they see the incident in an initial press conference.
“Officers were dispatched …on a shooting complaint. On their arrival, they located two 17-year-old victims who were deceased. They were trespassing illegally on the property,” Lt. Steven Bauer said in a news conference.
A vehicle was towed from the scene, but it wasn’t clear how or whether it was involved.
4. On a GoFundMe Page, Javier’s Family Remembered Him as ‘Bright’ & ‘Goofy’
Javier Harrison
Harrison’s family has created a GoFundMe page.
“Please help our family raise as much money as we can to send my baby brother off comfortably. He was so bright and goofy we would do anything to see his smile again,” it reads.
His sister wrote on Facebook, “I love you ???,” switching her profile picture to one of Javier Harrison.
5. The Teens Had Previously Attended Dayton Public Schools & a Balloon Release Was Planned in Their Memory
Both teenagers had previously attended Dayton Public Schools. However, the Dayton Daily News reported that they weren’t doing so anymore.
The teenagers “had withdrawn from the district,” the newspaper reported, citing the district spokesman.
According to the Dayton newspaper, the shooting occurred “in or near” the homeowner’s garage. On Facebook, Javier shared posts about marijuana, pictures with friends, and wrote things like “Court at 2:30 dis shit pissin me off??” and “Im either da high one or da shit talker??.” Devin appeared to have multiple Facebook pages. He posted pictures of himself or hanging out with friends.