A bouncer at Lachey’s Bar, owned by 98 Degrees brothers, Nick and Drew Lachey, who assisted a fellow employee shot in the face just outside the bar, had his car stolen while trying to render aid.
FOX19 Now reports that on early morning on Thanksgiving, Keith Anderson, of Westwood, was warming his car up in the cold weather when he heard gunshots go off outside of Lachey’s sports bar. He left his car running as he rushed to help co-worker, Ellie Richardson, who had been shot in the face by a person she’d gotten into a verbal altercation with while trying to cross the street. Richardson was leaving the bar at around 2 a.m., located off of 12th and Walnut streets in Cincinnati, when the incident occurred.
“I lost everything,” said Anderson. “I had about like $900 of toys for my kids for Christmas. This is the first Christmas that I ever went shopping early so I wouldn’t have to worry about shopping late, like I have to worry about can I get this for them, get that. Everything’s gone.”
Westwood was around 30 feet from his car when someone jumped in and drove off. Cincinnati Police, who confirmed the carjacking occurred around the same time Richardson got shot, said that they eventually found the car, but Anderson’s laptop, along with all the Christmas gifts he bought, had been taken.
Anderson said that due to a heart condition, he only works part-time. The bar later set up a GoFundMe account to help the doorman with funds to buy his children gifts.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Lavoris Hightower, 36, surrendered to police, who charged him in connection with shooting of Ellie Richardson, 27, who was shot in the face while leaving Lachey’s Bar off of 12th Street in Cincinnati. While walking across the street at around 3:45 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning, the suspect reportedly almost hit Richardson with his van. The pair apparently got into a verbal altercation before Richardson reportedly pulled out a gun and shot her in the face.
Richardson survived the incident.
Hightower secured a lawyer before turning himself in. The attorney, Clyde Bennett II, told People that although Hightower surrendered, he did not shoot the victim in the face.
“My client is not guilty of the offense. My client says he was not there at the time of the shooting and there has not been any evidence to support that he is guilty.”
“So until or unless you give me evidence to the contrary, I’m of the opinion he didn’t do it,” added, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
On Friday morning, Hightower faced arraignment at the Hamilton County Common Pleas Court, where he was officially charged with “attempted murder, felonious assault, weapons under disability and tampering with evidence.”
Hamilton remains behind bars on a $1 million bond.
Richardson, who was treated at the University of Cincinnati Hospital Medical Center, was released last Thursday.
“The swelling has subsided drastically, and the bruising around her eyes is nearly gone. The surgeons are confident she is progressing well enough to continue her recovery from home for the next few days,” a supporter posted on Facebook, on Dec. 6.
Meanwhile, Lachey and his brother and co-owner of the club, Drew Lachey, are holding a benefit concert to help raise funds for Richardson’s medical expenses on Dec. 15, at the benefit concert for Richardson at the Aronoff Center.
Cincinnati News, FOX19-WXIX TV
[Feature Photo:Elizabeth Richardson/YouCaring]
