Antoine Crooks, a 32-year-old man from Westerville, tragically lost his life on July 10, 2021, in Springfield, Ohio. He was fatally shot at a Speedway gas station on South Burnett Road, and pronounced dead at Springfield Regional Medical Center. The incident also left three others injured, including a woman and two children. Investigators believe this was an instance of domestic violence.
The suspect in this case, Emil Witherspoon, 43, was identified by the Springfield Police Division. Witherspoon allegedly shot Crooks, his ex-girlfriend Tiffany Brugler, and her two children. An arrest warrant was issued for Witherspoon on charges of aggravated murder, murder, attempted aggravated murder, and felonious assault. He was later indicted on multiple charges, including aggravated murder and attempted murder.
The shooting occurred both inside and outside the gas station, with Crooks suffering a gunshot wound to the chest. Brugler was found with gunshot wounds to the arm and head, while the children sustained serious injuries. The boy, related to Crooks, was taken to Dayton Children's Hospital, and the girl, a bystander, was treated at Springfield Regional Medical Center and later released.
Witherspoon turned himself in to the police, and the case remains under investigation as authorities continue to gather information and piece together the events leading up to the shooting. The tragic incident has left a community in mourning and raised questions about domestic violence and its devastating consequences.
