Fairfield police released the dash-cam video of the responding officer who spotted a gray Ford vehicle believed to be the getaway car. The officer spied the vehicle just north of Donald Drive and chased it north on Ohio 4. The gray vehicle could be seen weaving in and out of traffic, and then accelerated on the state route once it passed the brief congestion north of Symmes Road.
The vehicle then spun out then veered right of the roadway, coming to a stop in a grassy area next to a used car lot north of the CSX railroad overpass.
The officer could be heard yelling multiple times for the four passengers in the vehicle to get their “hands up” and “keep your hands up.”
The video ends with officers ordering the third of four passengers out of the vehicle. The second person ordered out was Miguel, the only person at this time charged in the Strong’s shooting death. He could be seen cooperating with officers’ commands, walking backwards from the vehicle he drove to the police cruiser. One officer warned Miguel, “If you run, you’re going to get bit,” referring to the responding K-9 officer.
Miguel was ordered to lay face-down on the ground next to the recording police cruiser and was handcuffed.
Strong was one of three people shot at the bar. Hailey Vierling, 21, of Hamilton, and Jerome Golston, 30, of Lima, also were hit by gunfire and suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.
Officers were dispatched at about 1:30 a.m. to 22 Donald Drive for a report of shooting inside the bar. The investigation revealed Strong and Galliher were involved in an argument when Galliher pulled out a gun and began shooting, according to police.
Galliher shot Strong “several times,” according to court documents.
Galliher fled in the gray Ford, according to police.
Police said it does not appear that Vierling and Golston were directly involved in the shooting.
Fairfield dispatchers received 10 frantic calls in the minutes after the shooting.
“I need an ambulance here to take my man to the hospital. He’s been shot twice,” a woman told a dispatcher. She was upset that she could not get back into the bar. “I seen his chest. I want him to a hospital.”
Another upset caller screamed while talking to dispatchers as police officers tried to get her to leave the bar.
“Someone has been shot. He is down on the ground. The guy is laying down he is not moving,” said a caller who said she was on the floor of the bathroom. “I really don’t think he is going to make it.”
Another caller said, “There’s somebody that’s dead, there’s somebody dead. They were shooting in this bar. … Oh my god.”
Galliher was booked at 8:38 a.m. into the Butler County Jail on a single charge of murder.
Credit: Butler County Jail
Credit: Butler County Jail
Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser said he was consulted by Fairfield police before the arrest. Galliher was arraigned Monday morning in Fairfield Municipal Court, where Judge Joyce Campbell ordered he be held without bond.
“The matter is scheduled before the grand jury. The matter will be taken directly to the grand jury and it has been scheduled.” Gmoser said.
He declined to release additional details.
