www.reeleak.com

Whitehall, Ohio — On April 19, 2024, at approximately 2:00 a.m., two Whitehall officers heard gunfire coming from the area of East Main Street & South Hamilton Road, near the Roses Store parking lot. About the same time, the Flock Gunshot Detection System alerted officers to gunshots in this exact same area.



Officers responded to the Roses parking lot and found a silver Honda Pilot on the lot and observed another dark SUV leaving the area. Two officers approached the Honda to both investigate the gunshots and check the welfare of the occupants. Officers found two Hispanic males in the front seats of the Honda. There was a language barrier between the officers and occupants. However as officers spoke with them, they observed a handgun in the vehicle.



Officer immediately ordered the occupants, in both Spanish and English, to put their hands up. This command was given multiple times. The driver complied and was removed from the car, but the passenger would not comply with officer's orders. Instead, the passenger suddenly lunged toward the handgun and then back toward the officer. At that time officers returned fire and shot the passenger. Several guns were found in the vehicle.



Officers attempted lifesaving measures and turned the passenger over to medics who transported him to Mt. Carmel East Hospital, where he later passed away. The passenger has been identified as 36-year-old Santiago Elias Alfaro Munoz. The driver was arrested for one felony count of Improper Handling of a Firearm in a Motor Vehicle and turned over the Franklin Sheriff's Office. He has been identified as 35-year-old William Morales Villatoro.