A teen who officials say was seen on video fatally shooting a man outside a Short Vine Street liquor store last year will stand trial as an adult, a judge has ruled.
The 16-year-old faces charges including aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and carrying a concealed weapon.
A Hamilton County Juvenile Court judge made that ruling on April 21. Judge Stacey DeGraffenreid had already found that there was enough evidence for the teen to stand trial in the April 2025 killing of 25-year-old Kyle Mirick.
But DeGraffenreid also had to determine, in a separate hearing, if the teen could be rehabilitated within the juvenile system or whether adult penalties are more appropriate.
That second hearing began April 15 and included testimony from a psychologist who said the teen is “at high risk” for future criminal behavior and had not responded well to court intervention as a juvenile.
The shootout
The fatal shooting happened April 12, 2025 on the sidewalk near 2902 Short Vine St. Mirick was killed by a gunshot to his chest.
The teen, who was 15 at the time, told detectives that he decided to rob Mirick, someone he didn’t know, because Mirick was wearing what appeared to be expensive chains around his neck and had a “bulge” in a pants pocket. He assumed the bulge was money.
Surveillance video showed the teen pull out a gun and walk up to Mirick, who then pushed the gun away and backed away from the teen. Mirick then pulled out his own gun, which he was licensed to carry, and they exchanged gunfire.
The teen also was shot, suffering multiple gunshot wounds, including to his jaw. When detectives interviewed the teen in the surgical intensive care unit at University of Cincinnati Medical Center, he told the detectives that he didn’t know he had killed anyone and that he didn’t intend to shoot Mirick.
What’s next
The teen will continue to be held at the Hamilton County youth center. DeGraffenreid set his bond at $550,000.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Judge says 16-year-old can be tried as an adult for Short Vine killing
Reporting by Kevin Grasha, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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