Marcellus Whitehead was 8 when gunfire struck him during a 2021 shooting in Cincinnati’s Westwood neighborhood.
CINCINNATI — A 13-year-old boy has died more than five years after he was critically wounded when gunfire erupted near a Cincinnati corner store, according to police and the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office.
Marcellus Whitehead, known as MJ, was 8 years old when he was struck during a June 12, 2021, shooting near McHenry and Cavanaugh avenues in the city’s Westwood neighborhood. Four people were wounded, including Marcellus, a 6-year-old child and two adults. The coroner’s office has linked Marcellus’ death to the 2021 shooting, creating the possibility of further legal action in a case that had already resulted in convictions.
The shooting happened around 6:15 p.m. on a Saturday. Marcellus’ older brother told FOX19 at the time that they had been walking to meet a friend and stopped at a corner store for snacks. After they came outside, two people began shooting at each other, and Marcellus was caught in the crossfire. Police said the children were not the intended targets.
Marcellus suffered severe injuries and was taken to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Police described his condition at the time as extremely serious. His family said he suffered gunshot wounds to his head and leg. Doctors placed him in a medically induced coma shortly after the shooting as relatives and neighbors waited for signs that he would survive.
His condition later improved. His mother told local reporters in July 2021 that he had emerged from the coma and was making progress. By August, his family said he was breathing without a ventilator. WCPO reported that Marcellus spent nearly two months in a medically induced coma, while other local reporting described a lengthy hospitalization and rehabilitation before he eventually returned home.
The Hamilton County Coroner’s Office reported this week that Marcellus had died at age 13. Local reports differed on the precise date of death, with WCPO reporting Oct. 26 and WLWT reporting that the coroner said he died the previous day. The coroner’s office described the case as an apparent delayed homicide tied to injuries from the 2021 shooting.
Darius Harris Jr. was arrested after the shooting and initially faced multiple counts of felonious assault. Hamilton County court records cited by local news organizations show that Harris later pleaded guilty to several charges connected with the gunfire and received a prison sentence. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction lists him as serving time for offenses that include felonious assault and weapons charges.
Another man, Javari Walker, was also arrested in connection with the shooting. Court records cited by FOX19 show that Walker was later convicted of having a weapon while under disability and was sentenced in 2023. The reported convictions stemmed from the original shooting investigation, before Marcellus’ death was announced.
Reporting on Harris’ plea agreement indicates prosecutors preserved the ability to pursue a homicide-related charge if Marcellus later died as a result of his injuries. Authorities had not announced a new homicide charge against Harris as of Tuesday. Any additional charge would depend on prosecutors and the legal findings surrounding the connection between the 2021 shooting and Marcellus’ death.
Marcellus’ death has renewed attention on a shooting that deeply affected the Westwood community. Rodney Christian, president of the East Westwood Community Council, told WCPO that Marcellus was a quiet child who was known in the neighborhood. Christian and local youth were expected to gather to remember him as the community again confronted the consequences of the violence that wounded him more than five years earlier.
The coroner’s finding marks a significant new development in the long-running case, but prosecutors had not publicly announced whether Marcellus’ death would lead to additional charges. The criminal cases connected with the 2021 shooting and the coroner’s determination remain central to what happens next.
Author note: Last updated October 27, 2026.