Ronnie Briggs, a 27-year-old Black man, was a father, a hard worker, and a business owner. His uncle, Desmond McGriff, described him as "a real father... a great all-around person." Ronnie was the father of two young boys, one of whom was just a newborn at the time of his death. Family members said he was a co-owner of the Showcase Bar & Grille in Garfield Heights, Ohio.
On the morning of September 25, 2022, an altercation took place outside the bar, located in the 5000 block of Turney
Road. According to Ronnie’s family, the establishment was filled to capacity, and he was helping security turn people away at the door. An argument began, and during the confrontation, shots were fired. Ronnie was struck by the gunfire. Emergency services rushed him to MetroHealth Medical Center, but he was pronounced dead from his injuries.
The Garfield Heights Police Department launched an investigation into the deadly shooting. Their work led them to identify a suspect, 32-year-old Travis Hicks of Shaker Heights. After the incident, Hicks went on the run. The search for him continued for several months until March 9, 2023, when members of the U.S. Marshals Service located and arrested him at an apartment in Cleveland.
Following the arrest, the case was presented to a grand jury. On March 28, 2023, the grand jury returned an indictment against Travis Hicks, charging him with aggravated murder, two counts of murder, two counts of felonious assault, two counts of having weapons under disability, and one count of discharge of a firearm on or near prohibited premises. Several of the charges included gun specifications. Hicks was arraigned in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas on March 31, 2023, where he pleaded not guilty to all charges. A judge set his bond at $1 million.
Ronnie's mother, Monica, expressed her family’s pain following the court hearing. Speaking about the bond amount, she said, “It’s set an amount that will stop him from getting out, but I don’t think it’s enough as far as my son is concerned.” As of late March 2023, the case against Travis Hicks was proceeding through the court system.
