A man charged in a shooting outside St. Malachi Parish has been found unfit to stand trial

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – One of the four men charged for their alleged involvement in a shooting outside St. Malachi Parish in July has been found unfit to stand trial at this time.

A Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas judge ordered Richo Samuels transported to Northcoast Behavioral Health for mental health treatment to see if his competency can be restored.

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O'Malley said that on July 29 around 6 p.m. outside the church in the 2400 block of Washington Ave. More than 45 shots were fired on the west side of the city.

Seven innocent people were in close proximity to the shooting and were not hit, but some nearby cars were hit, O'Malley said.

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Charges against two of the other suspects, Rahmean Ponzie and Jermaine George, were dismissed without prejudice, meaning the charges can be refiled.

The fourth suspect, Randall Russell, had a Sept. 30 pretrial in Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas.

According to O'Malley, on July 29, Samuels and George attempted to rob Ponzie and Russell and another man outside an apartment complex near Washington Avenue and West 28th Street.

Later that same day, around 6 p.m., Ponzie, Russell and the other man found Samuels and George outside St. Malachi Parish when Ponzie and Russell exited their vehicle and opened fire on Samuels and George, O'Malley said.

The two got back into the vehicle and as they drove away, Samuels and George allegedly returned fire.

George, Samuels and the other man were struck and treated for their injuries at a local hospital.

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