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Video shows crash that led deputies to take two into custody for questioning in fatal drive-by shooting

The shooting killed a 9-year-old girl
Sunoco Crash Galbraith Daly Road
Da’Myiah Barton-Pickens
Silverton Shooting dawn picture .jpg
Fatal Silverton Shooting .jpg
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Editor's Note: A previous version of this story cited the coroner's office with an erroneous age of the victim. The coroner's office later updated the correct age.

Newly obtained surveillance video shows the car crash that led to two people being taken into custody for questioning about a drive-by shooting that killed a 9-year-old.

The surveillance video from the Sunoco gas station at the intersection of Galbraith and Daly roads shows a car jump over a grass median before nearly missing a storefront. Once the car stops moving, a person can be seen getting out of the vehicle and running away. You can see another man limping in front of the store, but that man is taken to the ground and handcuffed.

Watch the full surveillance video here:

Surveillance Video Sunoco Galbraith Daly

In a press release from the sheriff's office, they said both people taken into custody for questioning were detained by deputies after the crash. The sheriff's office didn't confirm if the men on video are the same ones connected to Monday's drive-by shooting.

Court documents show that Hamilton County Sheriff's deputies were chasing the vehicle, and Demario Williams was arrested after the crash for illegal gun possession. He is being held on a $100,000 straight bond.

Another driver was affected by the crash, but not seriously injured, according to the sheriff's office.

The press release did not say whether the two in custody were formally under arrest for 9-year-old Da'Miyah Pickens-Barton's murder.

Ballistics testing is also being done on weapons retrieved by the sheriff's office, the release said.

The sheriff's office plans to hold a press conference Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m. to announce "more significant updates, including charges," the press release says.

According to deputies, the suspect fired into a house in the 6000 block of Plainfield Road around 11:40 p.m. Monday night. Neighbors said it was Pickens-Barton's grandmother's home.

Pickens-Barton was struck by a single bullet, investigators said. She was rushed to the hospital where she later died.

It is unclear who the intended target of the shooting was.

"First maybe I thought I was dreaming or something," said neighbor Jimmie Williams who lives a few houses down.

He had fallen asleep in his recline when he was woken up by the sound of the first gunshot, he said.

"I was like, 'What the heck?' Then it followed behind that — pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow like that," Williams said. "So then I said to myself, that ain't fireworks. That's a real, live shooting."

Williams said while he just moved into the Plainfield Road apartment a few weeks ago, he's called Silverton home for a while. He describes the neighborhood as quiet and peaceful where crimes, let alone drive-by shootings, are unheard of.

"That's frightening. That's frightening," he said. "A young girl, a young child loses her life like that."

John Smith, the Mayor of Silverton, issued a statement from himself and the Silverton Village Council Tuesday afternoon, saying they were "shocked, angry and extremely saddened but this incident."

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of young Da’Myiah Pickens-Barton as they grieve and try to make sense of this unthinkable tragedy," the statement continues. "On behalf of the Silverton community, we extend our wholehearted support during this unimaginably difficult time. Silverton is a small, close-knit community and this type of violence is uncharacteristic and unacceptable."

Mariah Miller, a family friend and coach for the West Side Panthers' 11- and 12-year-old cheerleading squad, provided a message from Pickens-Barton's family.

"They ... wanted everyone to know her smile lit up the room," Miller said.

Da’Myiah Barton-Pickens

Miller said the team had practice Tuesday night for the first time without Pickens-Barton. She noted it will be difficult to explain to the other children on the team what happened.

"It's not going to be easy telling our kids that they lost a cheerleader, especially somebody they expect to see every day," she said. "We see them now, but are we going to see them tomorrow? You just never know, it's an unexplainable pain."

Hamilton County Coroner Lakshmi Kode Sammarco said she's fed up seeing so many young victims come through her doors.

"That really is the hardest part of this job," she said.

Sammarco, who's held the position for the past 12 years, said she was only two weeks into the role when a 3-month-old, a 4-month-old and a 2-year-old were murdered. She said she hoped she wouldn't have to see much more of that, but in the years since, the number of children killed by gun violence has only soared.

"When I was talking to the pathologist that did this autopsy, she said, 'Do you realize this is the fourth child under the age of 10 that I have autopsied in the last two weeks?'" Sammarco said. "(Children) shouldn't have to worry about being in their homes and getting shot or outside playing in their yards and getting shot."

Da'Miyah's family said a balloon release is planned in memory of the 9-year-old at Ryan Park in Westwood at 6 p.m. on Thursday.

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