MIFFLIN TOWNSHIP — The Richland County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a homicide investigation for a shooting death that occurred at a Mifflin Township residence Wednesday night, according to a news release.
The victim, Austin Smiley, 19, of 671 U.S. Highway 250 South in New London, was found dead at 1665 Frontier Trail from a single gunshot wound.
The sheriff’s department released a 911 call from the incident, during which the caller indicated the victim was shot in the head with a handgun and that those at the house had been drinking.
The woman who called 911 said she didn’t know who pulled the trigger on the gun.
Deputies responded to the location, which is east of Ford Road South and south of Ohio 430, at approximately 10:44 p.m., where Smiley was found to be deceased, according to the incident report.
One person has been taken into custody, but has not been charged at this point. The investigators are expected to update the Richland County prosecutor Gary Bishop.
Mifflin Township Fire Department and Richland County Coroner’s Office also responded to the scene.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation was called to process the crime scene, and Major Crimes began conducting the investigation Wednesday evening.
