As Rashan Robinson was being sentenced to federal prison in 2021, his attorney told the court that Robinson was afraid for his safety and someone was after him. Why? Because he’d recently been the target of two shootings.
His fears proved true on Thursday afternoon, when Robinson and his brother, Willie Deshawn Robinson, both 36, were gunned down in what police described as a targeted attack in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant in Colerain Township.
Although police have not released a motive or announced any arrests in the shooting, which also left a bystander critically injured, court records show that Robinson publicly expressed his fears of being killed in a court filing years before his death.
Robinson was 17 years old when prosecutors say he killed Brenton Brown, 18, in a 2006 shooting in Lincoln Heights. He was charged as an adult in that case and was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty in 2008 to voluntary manslaughter.
After his release from prison in the state case, Robinson was indicted in September 2020 on a federal charge of illegally possessing a handgun, which prosecutors said he was prohibited from owning because of his prior felony conviction.
He ultimately pleaded guilty and was ordered in August 2021 to 39 months in federal prison.
Attorney: Robinson feared he was being targeted for 2006 killing
His public defender Zenaida Lockard wrote in a pre-sentence court filing that Robinson only carried the gun because his life was threatened twice in half a year.
First, a car Robinson was driving in the fall of 2019 was struck with gunfire during a drive-by shooting, the court document states. Robinson was not injured in that incident, but just a few months later in May 2020, he was shot in the leg and hospitalized.
While the shooter wasn’t identified in those incidents, Lockard said that Robinson believed he was being targeted by a friend of Brown’s.
“He also found out that the two shootings were related and that the shooter wanted him dead,” Lockard wrote. “All of these facts shook Rashan to his core and ultimately compelled him to carry a firearm as a form of self-protection.”
The attorney said Robinson wished to move to a new city after his incarceration to get a fresh start.
“In short, if Rashan were able to move to a place where nobody knew him, his safety would no longer be in jeopardy and he could move forward to live a law-abiding and productive life,” she wrote.
911 callers describe chaotic shooting scene
However, that fresh start would never come. Colerain Township police were called just before 1 p.m. Thursday to the intersection of Colerain Avenue and Springdale Road, where Robinson and his brother died at the scene.
The shooting started in the parking lot of a Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, with one of the brothers found inside a blue Infiniti and the other just outside the vehicle, according to a Colerain Township spokesperson.
The Infiniti had 12 gunshots through the passenger window.
At least seven people called 911. Multiple people reported a “shootout” in the area and a white car leaving the scene. One caller reported seeing a man with a “big assault rifle.”
A third victim said in a 911 call that he was sitting in his van when he was shot in the back. He made his way inside the Walgreens. Following the 911 call taker’s instructions, a woman kept pressure on his wound with a clean cloth.
From inside the Popeyes, another caller reported gunfire and someone who had banged on the windows. She said they locked the doors and were staying safe inside. Another caller said he was pumping gas when gunfire exploded around him. He said he ran for safety but didn’t see what happened.
Officials said investigators believe the third victim, whose name hasn’t been released, wasn’t an intended target.
Police have identified one suspect, who is still at large, but have not released any information on the suspect’s description. Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact the Colerain Township Police Department at 513-321-2677.
Enquirer reporters Cameron Knight, David Ferrara and Aaron Valdez contributed.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Colerain shooting: Victim voiced fears of targeted attack years prior