Gallia County Sheriff Matt Champlin and Gallia County Prosecuting Attorney Jason Holdren have released a joint statement with regards to the shooting which occurred on April 12, 2019, on East Bethel Church Road which resulted in the death of Keith A. Coon, age 51, of Jackson, Ohio
.As a result of a thorough investigation which was conducted by the Gallia County Sheriff’s Office, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Ohio State Highway Patrol, we have learned that Mr. Coon drove to a residence on East Bethel Church Road and exited his vehicle. Mr. Coon then ran to the back door of the residence where he made entry. These facts were confirmed by home security video footage which shows Mr. Coon dressed in only a pair of boxer shorts and tennis shoes. Once inside of the residence, Mr. Coon made his way through the residence to a hallway near the bedrooms and bathrooms where a brief face to face confrontation occurred with the female victim and only occupant of the residence at the time of the incident. After this brief confrontation, the victim retreated to a bedroom where she retrieved her personal protection firearm. Our investigation has shown that the victim, at the time, did not know if Mr. Coon was still present in the residence and began to make her way through the residence after activating the home security system to summons aid. Thereafter, the victim located Mr. Coon in a common area of the residence. The evidence shows that Mr. Coon wielded a pair of kitchen shears over his head in an aggressive manner towards the victim. It was at this time, that the victim discharged her firearm striking the intruder twice resulting in his death. The investigation further concludes that there was no connection between the intruder and the victim or the residence where the incident occurred.
As a result of the chemical testing which was conducted as a part of this investigation, it is clear that at the time of the incident Mr. Coon was under the influence of Amphetamine and Methamphetamine.
According to a statement by Prosecutor Holdren, “After a thorough review of the investigation, my office will not be pursuing any charges in this matter. It is abundantly clear that the victim acted in self-defense and Mr. Coon gave her no other alternative. Collectively, our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who has been affected by this traumatic event.”
Sheriff Champlin states “It is unfortunate and we are all saddened that in this incident, a man lost his life. However, I firmly support the fact that in this case, this young lady relied on her training and her constitutional right to defend herself inside of her own home. I am thankful for the team of law enforcement professionals who have worked so hard on this investigation to ensure that all of the facts have been identified and presented to the prosecutor for him to evaluate and form his decision.”
