A former Olivet College student has been charged with attempted murder and felony assault after he allegedly shot one of the school’s baseball players after a game, authorities and school officials said Sunday.
Olivet College said in a statement Saturday, that the player, who has yet to be identified, was shot after he returned to the dugout to retrieve a forgotten item following a Friday night game at Muskingum University in Ohio.
It was not clear what exactly unfolded in the lead-up to the shooting, but the Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement, that he was shot “three separate times.”
Franklin J. Grayson of Jacksonville, Florida, was charged with one count of attempted murder with a firearm specification and one count of felonious assault with a firearm specification over the incident, the prosecutor’s statement said.
Olivet College, which is based in Michigan, identified the suspect as a 2021 graduate of the school.
The player suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the shooting, the school said. “He was treated at a local hospital and has now been released into the care of his parents,” it added, noting that the rest of the team had safely returned to Olivet.
Grayson was being held in the custody of the Muskingum County Sheriff as of Sunday, with the prosecutor’s office requesting $1 million bail. It was not immediately clear if the suspect had an attorney to speak on his behalf.
The college said law enforcement had said that there was no indication of a relationship between the suspect and victim and that there was no known or ongoing threat to the student-athlete or anyone else in the Olivet College community.
The prosecutor’s office said “eyewitness descriptions of the suspect and the clothing he was wearing eventually resulted in his quick apprehension.”
“The coordinated response of numerous law enforcement agencies allowed this dangerous situation to quickly be contained for the protection of the campus and surrounding communities,” it added.
A potential motive in the shooting was not immediately clear.
In Ohio, attempted murder is punishable by a 3-11 year prison sentence. The gun specification can add an additional 3 years to any sentence imposed by the court, the prosecutor’s office said.
Felonious assault is a second-degree felony punishable by a 2-8 year prison sentence, with the gun specification also able to add another 3 years to any potential sentence.
The prosecutor’s office noted, however, that since both of the charges relate to the same act, “shooting another person with a firearm,” only one sentence can be imposed, meaning the maximum sentence Grayson could face is 14 years under the current charges. It noted that as the investigation is still ongoing, it is possible additional charges may be filed.
Olivet College said it was in communication with student-athletes and their parents and was providing support to them.
Games scheduled for the Olivet Comets for Saturday and Sunday were canceled following the shooting.
“This is a challenging time for all involved and our attention is focused on supporting the student-athletes and staff members,” the school said. “Please keep your fellow Comets in your thoughts and prayers.”
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
