Man Who Called-In False Report On John Crawford Might Be Charged

Fairborn Municipal Court Judge Beth Root has ruled that there is probable cause to charge Ronald T. Ritchie with making false alarms.  Judge Root ruled that there was not probable cause to issue a criminal complaint against Ritchie for inciting to violence, inducing panic, involuntary manslaughter or reckless homicide.  She has referred the case for making false alarms to a prosecutor.

On August 5, 2014, Ronald T. Ritchie called 911 reporting that a Black man was in the Beavercreek, Ohio’s Walmart pointing a gun at shoppers and children.  Beavercreek police officer Sean Williams arrived and shot John twice, killing him.  John had picked up an air rifle from the shelf in the store.  The store’s surveillance video shows that John was not behaving as Ritchie reported.

John Crawford III was 22-years old.  At the time he was killed by Officer Williams, a shopper, 37-year old Angela Williams, had a heart attack while rushing out of the store.  She died.

The Dayton Daily News reports that 10 private citizens filed affidavits in Fairborn Municipal Court and turned in Walmart surveillance video synchronized to the 911 call by the FBI on March 25.  Judge Root watched the synchronized video and ruled that at the time that Ritchie told 911 that John was pointing a gun at two children, that the video does not depict that event.