Eight individuals have been indicted on charges of aiding a suspect in the aftermath of a shooting that left two Mifflin Township police officers wounded. The Franklin County grand jury has charged Jennifer Dale, Namina Goler, Isaiah Ingle, Elijah Robinson, Grace Mellon, Kaitlyn Mellon, and Au’nusti Solomon with one felony count each of obstructing justice. Nathan Brown faces additional counts pertaining to weapons violations, including unlawful possession of a dangerous ordnance and an unlawful transaction in weapons, as stated in a press release from the Franklin County Prosecutor's Office.
The incident, which led to these charges, began on May 28 when Mifflin Township police made a routine traffic stop near the intersection of Mecca Drive and Perdue Avenue. Officers pursued the passenger, Daveonte Dixon, who fled the vehicle after questions arose about a marijuana smell. Dixon is accused of subsequently turning to open fire on the pursuing officers, critically injuring them. Despite his efforts to avoid capture by law enforcement, Dixon was apprehended on May 30 after a SWAT standoff where he apparently shot himself.
According to the press release, the subsequent investigation uncovered that multiple people provided assistance to Dixon, attempting to hide and harbor him as he evaded the police. Last Wednesday, these individuals were arrested on charges of obstructing justice. The intensive law enforcement probe peeled back layers of complicity, landing these eight individuals in the crosshairs of justice for their roles in obstructing the apprehension of a man accused of violent felonies.
"We’re grateful to hear that both officers are now home recovering from their injuries," Prosecutor Shayla D. Favor expressed in the press release, in a statement obtained by the Franklin County Prosecutor's Office. The injured officers demonstrate profound resilience, as one has been released from the hospital nearly a month after suffering severe face and upper body injuries, while the other sustained serious injuries to his right arm and back but was released the day following the incident. The community's support for these officers encapsulates the appreciation for the risks faced by law enforcement daily.
