Ohio judge is shot by the father of a rapist who was convicted of raping a 16-year-old girl

An Ohio judge was shot and wounded by the father of a Steubenville High school football player who was convicted of raping a girl during an alcohol-fueled party in 2012.
Judge Joseph Bruzzese Jr, 65, was ambushed and shot outside a Steubenville, Ohio courthouse by Nathaniel Richmond, who was later killed by a probation officer.
The judge, who was armed at that time of the incident, reportedly returned fire 5 times during the exchange of gunshots with Nathaniel Richmond. Fortunately for the judge, Richmond was shot dead by a probation officer who was walking between buildings and heard the gunfire, according to officials.

Bruzzese who was shot and wounded was airlifted to a Pittsburgh-area hospital and taken into surgery, where he is listed to be in a stable condition.
Richmond, 51, was identified as the father of Ma’Lik Richmond who was one of the boys convicted of raping a 16-year-old girl who was passed out at an alcohol-fueled party. Ma'Lik was also 16 at the time of the rape incident.
The victim was photographed in compromising positions and the photos were shared by members of the football team.

Ma’lik Richmond, then 16, and teammate Trent Mays, 17, found guilty for raping an intoxicated 16-year-old West Virginia girl. Bruzzese’s son Frank worked in the prosecutor’s office and is said to have aided on the case but was not a lead attorney or a presence during the trial." data-reactid="46" type="text">Bruzzese did not preside over the closely watched 2013 trial that saw Ma’lik Richmond and teammate Trent Mays, 17, found guilty for raping the intoxicated 16-year-old West Virginia girl.

Ma’lik Richmond, then 16, and teammate Trent Mays, 17, found guilty for raping an intoxicated 16-year-old West Virginia girl. Bruzzese’s son Frank worked in the prosecutor’s office and is said to have aided on the case but was not a lead attorney or a presence during the trial." data-reactid="46" type="text">Bruzzese’s son Frank worked in the prosecutor’s office and is said to have aided on the case but was not a lead attorney or a presence during the trial.

Ma’lik Richmond, then 16, and teammate Trent Mays, 17, found guilty for raping an intoxicated 16-year-old West Virginia girl. Bruzzese’s son Frank worked in the prosecutor’s office and is said to have aided on the case but was not a lead attorney or a presence during the trial." data-reactid="46" type="text">Because it was a high profile case then, a visiting judge from Hamilton County, where Cincinnati is located, handled the vast majority of the rape case. 

Both boys were high-profile players for the local Steubenville Big Red football team, a point of pride in the fading city.

Nathaniel Richmond was present for every day of his son’s trial. At sentencing, he apologized for Ma’lik’s actions and said his own troubled life was a reason that this occurred in the first place. Ma’lik also tearfully addressed the court, the victim and her family.

“Everyone knows I wasn’t there for my son,” Nathaniel said in 2013. “I feel responsibility for his actions. I feel highly responsible for his actions.”

Ma’lik, himself, was recently in the news when Youngstown State football coach Bo Pelini discovered he was attending classes at the school and invited him to walk on the team.

Richmond was a promising running back for the Big Red as a high school sophomore. After serving a year in juvenile in 2014, Richmond had returned to Steubenville and played as a linebacker as a senior before graduating. He attended two other schools before enrolling at YSU in August of 2016. He has had no other incidents with law enforcement.

Pelini told the Youngstown Vindicator that because Richmond had already shown his maturity by attending the university, he didn’t think inviting him onto the team in a non-scholarship role should be a problem. He promised extra, although unspecified restrictions, and constant monitoring. Richmond officially walked on in January. But this decision didn't go down well with everyone. 

Recently after a student launched a petition that called for his removal from their college football team, citing his rape conviction. The Youngstown State University was forced to announce on August 10 that Ma'Lik would not be playing football this season but would remain part of the football program and participate in practice.
According to Jefferson County Prosecutor Jane Hanlin, investigators say they are still looking for a motive in the shooting and haven't found a connection to the rape case.

The courthouse will now be guarded by heavily armed securities, while the FBI will be helping out in the shooting investigation.