MANSFIELD — A 17-year-old male was arraigned in Richland County Juvenile Court on Tuesday on unspecified charges related to the 2023 shooting death of Jason Antrican.
The defendant was charged May 2 in the death, according to Juvenile Court Judge Steve McKinley, who said a pre-trial hearing in the case could occur as soon as May 21.
The actual charge against the suspect, who entered the court clad in a blue jail jumpsuit with his hands shackled, was not announced during the brief proceeding.
Richland County Prosecutor Jodie Schumacher declined to answer questions after the arraignment.
It’s believed the prosecution will seek to have the defendant bound over for trial as an adult, as he was earlier this year on other gun-related charges that occured six months after the Antrican homicide. The suspect was 16 years old when those offenses allegedly occurred.
Columbus defense attorney Sam Shamansky represented the defendant via telephone during the hearing Tuesday, waiving his client’s right to have the charges read in open court. He entered a denial to the charges on his client’s behalf.
Shamansky was in the news in April, representing former Faith Life Church chief media officer Gary Thomas “Tom” Keesee Jr. on 27 felony charges in Knox County Common Pleas Court, including 11 allegations of first-degree rape.
“It’s too premature for me to comment,” Shamansky said when contacted after the arraignment. “Give me a couple of weeks.”
It’s believed the defendant was 15 years old on Oct. 10, 2023, when he was allegedly involved in the shooting death of Antrican, 42, in a Brookfield Drive apartment complex hallway.
Antrican, who was the ninth of 12 gun-related homicides handled by Mansfield police in 2023, was not involved with those who fired the shots.
Antrican’s family, including his parents, Fred and Ginger, were in the courtroom on Tuesday. Fred Antrican declined to comment afterward.
In February, the parents offered a $20,000 reward for information that led to the conviction of the suspect(s) who killed their son. It’s not known if that reward led to a break in the case for the defendant, who has been behind bars on other charges.
During an informational protest outside Juvenile Court in February, Fred Antrican said his son was struck by three bullets from two different guns.
“(He) was visiting some friends. He did not have a firearm with him. It’s horrible. You always read about it, but you’re thinking that is never going to happen (someone you love.)
“But it did,” Fred Antrican said.
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On the night of the homicide, Mansfield police responded at 8:20 p.m. after taking numerous calls about shots fired and someone down in a hallway, according to Lt. Robert Skropits.
“Officers arrived in the area and located two gunshot victims,” Skropits said in a press release four hours later. “Both victims were taken to a local hospital.”
One of those victims was Antrican, a 1999 Clear Fork High School graduate who was pronounced dead at OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital. The other victim survived.
Skropits said at the time that a group of subjects fled the scene after the shooting, according to witness accounts.
In February, Antrican said he understands juvenile offenders are afforded more protection under the law.
“I can understand that to a certain point. But when it gets to a point they’re coming out with loaded firearms and discharging them …. if they want to play like big boys, they need to get charged like big boys, instead of putting them away for a couple of years and letting them back out,” Antrican said.
(This is a developing story and may be updated.)