Shooting Kills Mt. Victory Man; Person of Interest Being Held on Unrelated Charges

A Mt. Victory man is dead after a shooting that occurred at the start of Labor Day weekend.

According to a release from the Hardin County Sheriff’s office, deputies were dispatched to County Road 135 at Township Road 110 at around 12:35 Saturday morning to investigate a report about a vehicle sitting in the roadway with the headlights off.

Deputies found 44 year old Richard E. Whitaker Jr. inside the car.

He was critically injured from an apparent gunshot wound.

Whitaker was taken to Hardin Memorial Hospital and was then flown to St. Rita’s Medical Center in Lima, where he died at just before 11 Saturday morning.

Later Saturday, a stand-off took place at a residence in Dunkirk.

After several hours, deputies arrested 47 year old Anthony Browne.

Sheriff Keith Everhart Sunday morning called Browne a person of interest in the homicide investigation.

Browne is currently being held in the Multi County Jail in Marion on unrelated charges of obstructing official business and resisting arrest.

Sheriff Everhart said they are continuing to follow up on all leads and persons of interest as the investigation continues.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office at 419-673-1268.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the County Road 135 location by the Kenton Police Department, BKP EMS, Kenton Fire Department, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Hardin County Prosecutor’s Office and Osborn’s Towing and Recovery Services.