Clay Twp. police shooting suspect’s case heads to grand jury

CLAY TWP., Montgomery County — The case involving a man accused of shooting at police before being shot by officers will go before a grand jury, according to the prosecutor’s office.

RELATED: Man pursued after firing on Clay Twp. administration building is shot, wounded by police in Clayton

The grand jury will decide whether Aaron Mitchell should be indicted on the following charges: felonious assault, discharging a firearm on or near prohibited premises and failure to comply.

Mitchell, 40, is currently being held in the Montgomery County Jail

Mitchell was shot multiple times by officers following a pursuit from the area of the Clay Twp. administration building, which ended on North Diamond Mill Road Friday.

“Upon further investigation a Facebook post was located on Aaron Mitchell’s Facebook account stating ‘welp my mind says I’m going to break a bunch of laws and then chased by the cops lol,’” according to documents filed in court. “Mitchell also has made comments that the best way to go is by cop and that if he wanted to die he could do death by cop.”

Latest on man who shot firearm at Clay Twp. administration building Latest on man who shot firearm at Clay Twp. administration building

An incident report shows police believe Mitchell was suspected of using alcohol.

Deputies served a search warrant Friday afternoon at Mitchell’s house on South Clay Street in Brookville, which also is owned by his live-in girlfriend, court records showed.

Three police officers, including two from Clay Twp. and one from Brookville, were placed on paid leave for their involvement in the police shooting, officials have confirmed.

Brookville police Maj. Tom Simon is the officer on leave from that department after the department said he fired his service weapon at the end of the pursuit. The two Clay Twp. officers were Sgt. James Hawkins and officer Jim Corcoran.

Police recovered an AR-style rifle from Mitchell’s 1986 Pontiac Fiero, which was towed from the chase scene, court records read.

Police have seized at least 20 items that will serve as evidence in the case, including bullets and shell casings, the warrant read.

Officers also recovered a black semi-automatic rifle in the front bedroom of Mitchell’s home.

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