Murder charges approved for suspect in bar shooting
Charges have been approved in a deadly January shooting of a security guard outside Napoleon’s Bar in Jefferson Twp. in what law enforcement called a “targeted attack.”
Sha’King Adonte Jones, 25, is facing two counts each of murder and felonious assault and one count of having weapons while under disability in Montgomery County Municipal Court - Western Division.
Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck identified Jones earlier this week as a suspect in the Jan. 29 shooting death of 30-year-old Darnell Pate Jr.
The sheriff announced Tuesday investigators arrested Jones on Feb. 14 on Palisades Drive in Harrison Twp. While Jones was booked into the Montgomery County Jail on preliminary drug and murder charges, the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office requested more information to support the filing of murder charges.
“They are just asking for a few things to shore up the evidence that we’ve presented at this time,” Streck said Tuesday.
Jones was charged last week in Dayton Municipal Court with drug possession and conveyance charges. He remained in jail as the sheriff’s office continued to investigate the homicide. On Wednesday, the murder and felonious assault charges were filed. His bond was set at $750,000.
Investigators executed a search warrant at the Palisades Drive residence where Jones was arrested last week. They found a loaded handgun, methamphetamine and drug packaging materials, Streck said.
Jones has a history with the sheriff’s office and was not cooperating with the investigation, the sheriff said Tuesday.
Deputies were called to Napoleon’s Bar at 4150 Germantown Pike around 2:50 a.m. Jan. 29 and found Pate dead with a gunshot wound inside a vehicle.
The investigation revealed a stolen Hyundai Tucson arrived in the lot and a suspect identified as Jones through fingerprints got out of the stolen SUV and shot Pate while he was inside his vehicle, according to an affidavit.
The stolen Hyundai was found abandoned nearby and Jones’ cellphone confirmed his location for the time of the shooting, the affidavit stated.
The shooting is believed to be a targeted attack, but the reason why is unclear.
“We do know that individuals were lying in wait for Mr. Pate and that is why it was said to be targeted,” Streck said. “We don’t know the exact reason for the targeting, but we do know this was planned and people were waiting for Mr. Pate to leave the business and go to the vehicle.”
Pate previously worked in law enforcement for multiple departments in Southwest Ohio.
He served briefly as interim chief of the New Vienna police department in Clinton County, and also worked for police departments in Addyston, on the west edge of Cincinnati, and in New Holland, near Washington Court House. According to WXIX in Cincinnati, he was terminated from his roles with Addyston and New Vienna. According to WHIO, New Holland officials said Pate was a fine officer serving in a reserve role in 2022-23.