CINCINNATI — Cincinnati police have arrested a second person for the shooting that killed 19-year-old Bairon Chaj near the Hartwell Recreation Center in July.
Police announced they arrested 19-year-old Wakee Amin Swain-Barber on December 31.
In October, police also arrested 19-year-old Erik Evans for the murder.
The shooting happened July 20. At around 8:15 p.m., Cincinnati police responded to the 8200 block of Vine Street near the Hartwell Recreation Center.
When they got there, they found Chaj suffering from a gunshot wound; he died at the scene, police said.
Court documents say Evans was attempting to commit aggravated robbery when the shooting happened. Court documents have not yet been filed for Swain-Barber, but jail records show he's been charged with murder and an unrelated aggravated robbery charge.
Court records show Swain-Barber allegedly stole a woman's purse and shoved her to the ground, injuring her, in November — four months after the attempted robbery of Chaj turned deadly.
Chaj's family told us the 19-year-old was waiting for his order at a food truck at around 9 p.m. in the crowded parking lot at the Hartwell Recreation Center after playing in a soccer league.
Despite hundreds of people around, they say a robbery turned deadly. Chaj’s cousin Nestor said Chaj was approached by a man who demanded money. The confrontation ended with Chaj shot and killed.
Chaj's co-worker Ashton Nagler started a GoFundMe campaign to help ease the family’s cost to bring him to his final resting place: Guatemala.
“The GoFundMe was created to try to get some relief for their families,” Nagler said. “All these circumstances, obviously, on any family can be really difficult, but they're a very tight-knit family.”
Chaj was killed a few days shy of his 20th birthday, exacerbating the tragedy. They say he worked hard, avoided drugs and played soccer in his free time.
“He was doing everything right,” Nagler said. “I remember him always, you know, having a smile on his face, always happy to do anything asked.”
Chaj had been in the United States for about two years, Nestor said: “I want to imagine him working with us, you know, doing jogs … I can’t stop thinking about him.”
Watch Live:
