Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office Will Not Pursue Charges Related to 2022 Suicide of Rayshawn Meeks

Posted on 1/20/2023

Defendant:

After reviewing the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s (BCI) report on the 2022 death of Rayshawn Meeks, the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s office has concluded that Meeks died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and, consequently, will not seek criminal charges against the civilians or police officers involved.

According to the BCI report, on March 7, 2022, Meeks was a backseat passenger in a car that arrived in the parking garage of the Franklin County Commissioners. Once the vehicle pulled into a parking space, Meeks attacked the driver from behind, then exited the car and began fighting with another passenger of the car. Clinton Township Officer Terrance Phillips was in the garage and, summoned by the car’s driver, attempted to break up the fight between the two men. Meeks attacked Officer Phillips and was then ordered to lie on the ground by two officers from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department who had arrived on the scene moments later. As he continued to resist arrest, Meeks seized Officer Phillips’ revolver. After initially pointing the weapon at an officer, Meeks turned it toward himself and fired one shot. Officer Phillips grabbed the gun from Meeks’ hand, engaged the safety and holstered it.

Both video evidence and witness testimony support this account of events.

After the shooting, officers rendered first aid to Meeks until emergency medical services arrived. Meeks was taken to Grant Hospital, where he died 12 days later on March 19. The Franklin County Coroner’s Office performed an autopsy, which showed the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death was suicide.

BCI maintains the investigative file for this incident for any public records inquiry.
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