Prosecutors: Suspects will not be charged in the shooting death of Tyrel Saunders

Erin Couch, Zanesville Times Recorder
·1 min read
Tyrel Saunders was shot and killed outside of Dairy Mart on July 23. Four days later, two Columbus 17-year-olds were in connection to Saunders' death. They won't face charges due to provisions in Ohio's so-called "stand your ground" law, according to the Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office.
Tyrel Saunders was shot and killed outside of Dairy Mart on July 23. Four days later, two Columbus 17-year-olds were in connection to Saunders' death. They won't face charges due to provisions in Ohio's so-called "stand your ground" law, according to the Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office.

ZANESVILLE — Charges won't be filed against two teens who were suspected in the Pine Street shooting death of a 20-year-old Zanesville man last summer.

Tyrel Saunders was shot and killed outside of Dairy Mart on July 23. Later that night, two teens were arrested at a home on Nancy Avenue following a police standoff.

They will not be facing charges in his death following provisions in Ohio's so-called stand your ground law, according to the Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office. The law went into effect April 6.

More: Two Columbus teens await charges following fatal shooting

Under that law, there is a presumption that an assailant is acting in self-defense if they claim they are. Ohio Revised Code now says a person has no duty to retreat before using deadly force in self-defense, defense of another or defense of their own residence.

The prosecutor's office described it this way: Investigators can only use what they know from the suspect's statements, witnesses and evidence since a homicide victim isn't alive to say what happened. Previously a suspect would have to convince a jury or provide evidence.

The case can no longer be prosecuted ethically because the law changed, the prosecutor's office said.

Prosecutors said both Saunders and the two teens were carrying firearms at the time of the shooting. Additional evidence showed the teens' story was consistent with their claim that Saunders was drawing a gun and it was sticking in his pants.

A small amount of video evidence and witness accounts were not able to disprove the teens' claims.

They are still facing charges of illegally carrying firearms, tampering with evidence and felony obstruction.

ecouch@gannett.com

740-450-6752

Twitter: @couchreporting

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Suspects will not be charged in the shooting death of Tyrel Saunders