Probable cause hearing set for teen charged with Hamilton homicide

The memorial on East Avenue for Shon Walker who was shot and killed July 2y has grown. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

The memorial on East Avenue for Shon Walker who was shot and killed July 2y has grown. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

A hearing to determine if he will be tried as an adult has been set next month for a 17-year-old charged with murder for the shooting death of Shon Walker in Hamilton.

The accused teen was not in court for a pre-trial hearing Friday before county Juvenile Court Judge Ronald Craft. The families of both the victim and the defendant were in the county juvenile justice center but declined to attend the short hearing.

Craft said the case is a mandatory bind-over to adult court if he finds probable cause after a hearing. It is a mandatory bind-over because of the age of the defendant and the severity of the alleged crime. Craft set the probable cause hearing for Aug. 21.

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According to juvenile court documents, Hamilton police say the teen had a firearm and shot Walker several times on June 27, then concealed the weapon in his clothing and put it in a sewer.

The incident was caught on video, and a witness identified the teen as the shooter, according to court documents.

The accused teen has been incarcerated in the Juvenile Detention Center three times previously, according to juvenile court records.

In September 2015, he was arrested by Hamilton police for inducing panic and three counts of assault. He spent two months in JDC, was placed on house arrest and was ordered to serve 40 hours in the work program, have no weapons of any kind and write an apology letter. He was also was placed on probation and ordered to undergo counseling. An Airsoft gun was used in the offense.

The teen was charged in August 2018 with aggravated menacing by Hamilton police. The charge was amended to disorderly conduct. He spent about 30 day in JDC, and he was placed on home incarceration and ordered to complete 20 hours of the work program.

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In November 2018, the teen had a probation violation and was again placed on home incarceration. In December 2018, he was charged with a curfew violation and served another 30 days in JDC. He was also ordered to continue counseling, complete 20 hours of a work program and was given a 6 p.m. curfew.

In June, the teen also violated probation and was ordered to complete another 12 hours in the work program. He was taken into custody on July 9 on another probation violation and charged with murder two days later.

MORE: Memorial grows for Hamilton shooting victim 

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