MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — A 17-year-old remains in the hospital after he was shot in the chest in a Middletown park late Tuesday night. Two juveniles and two adults have been arrested in connection to the shooting.
Jeff Morris said his nephew, Eli Rhodus, was the teen shot at Lefferson Park.
“A super polite kid. I’ve never seen him ever talk back [to] an adult, never seen him rude," Morris said.
Morris married into Rhodus's family and has known Rhodus since he was 6 months old.
“We’re all an emotional wreck," he said. “He’s telling his dad he’s afraid they’re going to come back and finish the job. He’s having him close the blinds because he feels like they’re outside."
Officers found Rhodus in the middle of the intersection of Breiel Boulevard and Lefferson Road on a median adjacent to the park. He suffered a gunshot wound to the left side of the chest and was taken to Atrium Medical Center for treatment.
“He’s got I think they said 40 staples front and back. His lung keeps collapsing," Morris said.
Lillian Byrd, 18, has been charged with aggravated robbery, and 18-year-old Zachery Dier has been charged with tampering with evidence. The two juveniles are also facing aggravated robbery charges, Middletown police said.
Police said Rhodus's cell phone was taken during the shooting, Sgt. Earl Nelson said. Morris said they also took $120 from his nephew.
What's upsetting to Morris is that he said Rhodus and Byrd knew each other and planned to meet at the park.
“I talked to his dad and ... this is what Eli told his dad," Morris said. "He had walked to the park and she said she couldn’t get a ride, so he walked back home. Then she called back again, and said ‘Oh, OK, I got a ride,' so I guess as he was walking to the park. They’re talking on the phone and he knows that she was texting while they were talking on the phone."
Then, when his nephew arrived at the park, Morris said Rhodus told his family she said, "Hey, I got a surprise for you. Turn around."
"She hung the phone up and as soon as she said that, he’s turned around, the guy put the gun right to his chest, pulled the trigger, and when he went to the ground the guy put the gun to his head and said, go home and don’t say nothing," Morris said.
Based on Rhodus's account, Morris thinks Byrd should face more charges.
“How can she be charged with aggravated burglary, when that should be my opinion conspiracy to commit murder? Without her in the picture, there wouldn’t be no case. There wouldn’t be no shooting," he said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Agee at 513-425-7796 or 513-425-7700.
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