A 65-year-old Ohio judge was shot and wounded by the father of the Steubenville rapist on Monday. Judge Joseph Bruzzese Jr was ambushed and shot outside a Steubenville, Ohio courthouse by Nathaniel Richmond, who was killed by a probation officer.
Richmond, 51, is the father of Ma’Lik Richmond, who was convicted of raping a 16-year-old girl who was passed out at an alcohol-fueled party.
Judge Bruzzese, who was armed, returned fire 5 times. Richmond was killed by a probation officer who was walking between buildings and heard the gunfire.
“He’s right up to the judge. And that’s when he fires another round and he shoved the judge over and then he takes off running towards his vehicle,” said Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla.
The judge was airlifted to a Pittsburgh-area hospital and taken into surgery. He is listed in stable condition.
Richmond was reportedly upset that son Ma’Lik was recently told he couldn’t play football for Youngstown State University this season, according to UK’s Daily Mail.
Courthouse video shows Richmond’s car parked across the street from the courthouse at 7:15 a.m. The car left the parking lot and returned later that morning.
A passenger in the car was grazed by a bullet during the shootout. He was treated for a non-life threatening injury at a hospital. The man said he was not aware of Richmond’s intentions.
He told police he and Richmond had been out drinking the night before. He said Richmond told him he had to be in court the next morning.
Sherrif Abdalla said the man is not considered a suspect.
Richmond’s family was notified of his death, but the Jefferson County Sheriff withheld his identification due to online threats against the probation officer. Rumors ran rampant that Richmond was shot in the back while fleeing.
Abdalla cautioned against spreading unfounded rumors online.
Security will be beefed up at the courthouse, and the FBI has joined the shooting investigation.
Ma’Lik Richmond was a 16-year-old student athlete on the Steubenville High School football team when he and a friend were accused of sexually assaulting a drunken 16-year-old girl in 2012.
The girl was photographed in compromising positions and the photos were shared by members of the football team.
Ma’Lik was convicted of penetrating the unconscious girl and he was sentenced to one year of juvenile detention in 2013.
Jusge Bruzzese presided over the trial.
