The fatal shooting that took place at a gender reveal party for a woman who wasn’t even pregnant, was drug-related, according to Ohio police.
Colerain Township police spokesman James Love said the home where 22-year-old Autum Garrett, of Indiana, was killed while attending a gender reveal party for Cheyanne Willis, was targeted.
Love said investigators found multiple connections between those who attended the party and three drug rings.
The fatal shooting that took place at a gender reveal party for Cheyanne Willis (left and right in gray), 21, who wasn’t even pregnant, was drug-related, according to Ohio police. Her friend Autum Garrett (left rear, in shorts), 22, was killed at the party on July 8
Garrett (pictured with her children and husband) was attending the party with her husband and their two children, who were also wounded in the attack. A total of eight people were injured, which included a third child at the party
The attackers, wearing hoodies, entered through the front door of the home (pictured) while the residents were watching a film and opened fire for one-to-two minutes before fleeing on foot
Garrett, who was shot dead on July 8, was attending the party with her husband and their two children, who were also wounded in the attack.
At the time, Colerain police said Willis wasn’t even pregnant, despite, posting on Facebook that she was expecting a boy.
The 21-year-old woman was hosting the party to disclose the gender of her ‘baby’, when Garret was killed and eight others, including three children, were wounded during the shooting after two men opened fire inside the home.
At least 14 rounds were fired during the shooting at the home on Capstan Drive.
Those who were shot were watching a Spider-Man movie after the party.
Willis was shot in the leg and treated at University of Cincinnati Medical Center before she was released.
Willis (pictured with friends) was shot along with seven others. Willis was shot in the leg and treated at University of Cincinnati Medical Center before she was released
A family member who was also shot had claimed that Willis was no longer pregnant after the shooting. She had told local media she lost her unborn child after she was wounded
A family member who was also shot had claimed that Willis was no longer pregnant after the shooting.
She had told local media she lost her unborn child after she was wounded.
Police said in a statement after the shooting that their investigation had been impeded by ‘leads known to be lies’ and resistance from crime victims.
‘(We) have been given information we have found to be false,’ the statement reads.
‘Hours and days have been wasted following leads known to be lies when they were provided to our officers. From the very beginning of this investigation, we have met significant resistance that is uncommon from victims of crime wanting a resolution.
‘As an example, we were led to believe an unborn child was murdered in this incident only to find out that was not the case. That information is not provided to embarrass anyone, only to provide a fair understanding of the challenges we have faced in the past nine days,’ the statement read.
Filmed: On Christmas Eve 2014, Willis, then 19, was filmed being attacked (right) by two people. Her ex-boyfriend Quincy Gardner (right), then 20, was charged with robbery
Also charged was Cheyenne Fisher (pictured, then 21). Fisher had claimed on Facebook that she had ‘slapped her up’ because she thought Willis had stolen her car
‘The Colerain Police Department will not comment further on any other misleading information, other than to say we wish our time had been spent on true leads that would help us remove these dangerous criminals from the streets.
‘We ask that those with information to respect the fact that resources will be used to follow up on every lead or tip,’ officers added.
The attackers also wrote ‘I got my a** whooped’ on her head and signed it
Authorities also said they don’t have an explanation about why Willis claimed to be pregnant.
This is not the first time Willis has been involved with the police. She was the subject of a brutal attack on Christmas Eve 2014 where she was beat up by another woman in a parking lot while it was filmed.
They then wrote ‘I got my a** whooped’ on her head and signed it.
Her ex-boyfriend Quincy Gardner, then 20, and a woman, 21-year-old Cheyenne Fisher, were charged with robbery in connection with the incident.
Fisher later said in a Facebook post that she ‘slapped her up’ because she believed Willis had stolen her car.
Weeks after that incident, a grand jury decided not to indict Gardner and Fisher.
Authorities are asking anyone with information in regards to the shooting to call the Colerain police at 513-321-COPS or text them at 513-470-7165. There is a $10,000 reward in the case.