Antaun Hill Jr., an 18-year-old recent Fairfield High School graduate and committed football player for Independence Community College in Kansas, was fatally shot on June 10, 2020, in Liberty Township near Middletown, Ohio. The violence followed a confrontation that began three days earlier when Hill’s cell phone and cash were stolen. On the night of June 10, two groups met at Liberty Park to settle the dispute and a shootout broke out; during the exchange Romel Velasquez fired into the crowd and Hill was killed.

Hill’s family described him as smart, funny, and handsome; his mother LaShonda Hill spoke about the pain of visiting his grave, and his father Antaun Hill Sr. held his jersey at the sentencing hearing. Authorities said the incident was not gang-related and that Hill was an innocent victim caught in the crossfire. The case deeply affected the local community.

If anyone has information about the events leading up to or on the night of June 10, 2020, that could help clarify what happened, please come forward.