‘Assault’ in Yellow Springs a homicide, police confirm; person of interest in custody

YELLOW SPRINGS — Police have confirmed an assault in Yellow Springs was a deadly shooting that launched a homicide investigation.

As reported on News Center 7 at 6, police gave an update on two investigations that resulted in the closure of Yellow Springs City Schools Monday.

On March 14, the Yellow Springs Police Department was called to reports of an assault in the 600 block of South High Street.

>> RELATED: Ohio BCI requested after reported assault in Yellow Springs

Yellow Springs Police Chief Paige Burge said because of the “severity of the situation’ and the “heightened risk to public safety” the officer responding put out a call for backup.

Officers found a victim, described as an elderly woman, dead from a gunshot wound, according to Burge.

Several villagers said they wanted answers from police about the investigation.

“Well the biggest concern of most of the people here is we had an incident a couple of days ago where police had come from several areas and we don’t have any answers as to whether the two are related. So that’s the biggest issue right now,” Misty Gill said. “Was the last one unresolved and now this is that again? We do know we are able to go out and walk freely, but the schools are closed today.”

Gill is talking about the all-clear the village sent out late Sunday after sending a shelter-in-place warning earlier in the day.

The village told people not to answer the door for someone they don’t know as they looked for a man they described as “armed and dangerous.”

Police revealed that was because around 6:15 p.m. Sunday they got a call about a man, Jackson Bleything, coming to the door and ringing the doorbell of a home.

Bleything was arrested Sunday night in Springfield.

>> RELATED: ‘Armed and dangerous’ subject in Yellow Springs in custody

He was identified as a person of interest in the homicide on March 14.

After his arrest, the village gave the all-clear to residents.

News Center 7 asked Burge what she would say to the concerns from villagers about not speaking publicly until four days after the homicide.

“I can appreciate that the community is concerned but also as mentioned I have to balance the integrity of the investigation because while it’s important to maintain public safety, and we felt we have done so in that situation, it’s equally as important to maintain the integrity of the investigation to ensure that justice is received for our victims in this case,” Burge said.

Bleything is in the Greene County jail on charges of attempted felonious assault and tampering with evidence.

Burge could not comment on possible future charges but said the goal is to hold someone accountable for the homicide.

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