Eaton

Butler police say they have solved an October shooting in the city where a gunshot blast narrowly missed a sleeping child.

The suspects, it turned out, are already in the Butler County Prison.

Police on Thursday charged Dominic R. Hutchens, 18, and Jesse J. Eaton, 20, both of Butler, in connection with the Oct. 5 targeted shooting.

Investigators suspect Hutchens fired a blast from a sawed-off shotgun that shattered a window at a woman's apartment in the 400 block of West New Castle Street.

According to court documents, Eaton got the gun from a friend and later drove Hutchens to the apartment building.

The woman's 6-year-old son was sleeping on a love seat just inside the window about 10:30 p.m. when he gunfire hit, spraying him with glass, police said.

The mother and child were the only two people in the apartment and neither was hurt.

Hutchens is charged with aggravated assault, discharging a firearm into an occupied structure, conspiracy and reckless endangerment.

Eaton is charged with conspiracy to discharge a firearm into an occupied structure.

The suspects were not immediately arraigned on the charges. Both have been in the county prison since January in connection with an unrelated robbery in the city last year.

Police said they cracked the Oct. 5 shooting case following numerous interviews of witnesses and suspects.

While investigators admit they have not nailed down a motive, they suspect the woman's apartment was the target that night.

“Police have received several allegations as to the reason for it,” said police Capt. David Dalcamo, “possibly retaliation for a prior event.” He would not elaborate.

Hutchens