Feb 25, 2023 3 min read

A Butler County man is accused of attempting to fire a handgun at another man – who was shot to death several hours later – following an altercation in Washington last year, but the weapon jammed as he pulled the trigger.

Ethan Jaylee Hicks, 25, of Evans City, appeared for his preliminary hearing Friday on attempted homicide and other charges after city police said he tried to shoot at the man Dec. 9 as he ran across Highland Avenue in the vicinity of children and adults standing nearby.

While city police arrested Hicks shortly after the altercation, it was revealed during his hearing in Washington County Central Court that the man he allegedly pointed his gun at, identified by investigators as Thomas Oliver Davis Jr., was gunned down about eight hours later in Canton Township. State police are investigating Davis Jr.’s shooting death near the Jessop Place interstate exit, but no one has been charged and authorities declined to say whether the two incidents are related.

Hicks is only charged in connection with the daylight incident outside of Lombardi Plaza at 54 Highland Ave.

A witness who identified himself as G Neller testified during the hearing that he was at the Laundromat in the plaza when he saw a man go up to Hicks and appeared to “take something” from him. The man ran away and Hicks pulled out a handgun and attempted to fire it three times, Neller said, but the weapon did not discharge. Neller said four children and two adults were standing outside of Washington Christian Outreach near where Hicks was pointing the weapon.

“I heard it click,” Neller said of the trigger being pulled but not firing.

Neller locked the doors to the Laundromat and called 911, prompting city police to look for the armed man. Officers located Hicks shortly after when he allegedly tossed a handgun wrapped in a red handkerchief into a drainage ditch near Highland Avenue.

Sgt. Michael Cain testified investigators found four bullets in Hicks’ pocket after his arrest. The handgun was later discovered to be stolen, city Detective Dan Eberman testified.

Between the incident at the shopping plaza and his arrest, surveillance video at Jollick Manor in Washington showed Hicks arriving in a vehicle and going into one of the units. He left about 30 minutes later, although there was no testimony about why he was there or who he may have spoken to during that time.

Davis Jr., 30, was shot to death about eight hours later at Baird Avenue and Wilmington Street in Canton Township near Washington’s west end neighborhood. State police at the barracks in Washington County, which are investigating the homicide, have released no information on the killing.

Jake Mihalov, the public defender representing Hicks, argued that the firearm was not operational since the trigger was not functioning, meaning his client should not face attempted homicide charges. First Assistant District Attorney Leslie Ridge countered that Hicks pointed the handgun at another person “with a bunch of kids in the background” and attempted to shoot.

After listening to testimony for about an hour, District Judge Kelly Stewart ordered Hicks to stand trial on all charges, including attempted homicide, aggravated assault, possession of a prohibited firearm, carrying a firearm without a license, receiving stolen property, evidence tampering and reckless endangerment. Hicks is being held without bond at the Washington County jail.