CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — Chillicothe Police officers responded to a high-risk incident at 199 Old Eastern Avenue on December 3 after a firearm was reportedly discharged into a downstairs apartment. No one was injured, but the incident prompted a coordinated response from the department’s SWAT team.
Officers were first dispatched following a welfare check request. A resident reported receiving video evidence of a bullet hole in the ceiling of an apartment below, with the bullet recovered. The alleged discharge was linked to an argument between Damien Gutierrez and Sahkiya Martin, who live in the upstairs apartment with their infant child. Both individuals had previously faced domestic violence charges.
When officers arrived, no one answered the door, and Martin’s vehicle was on the scene. Given the potential danger, detectives obtained a search warrant, which was reviewed and signed by a judge, and requested SWAT assistance for execution.
Using loudspeaker announcements and emergency lights, SWAT officers repeatedly called for the residents to exit. When there was no response, the team forcibly entered the apartment. Both Gutierrez and Martin were detained without incident.
During the search, officers recovered a Glock 17 handgun from an access panel in the bathroom. The firearm’s chamber was empty, but a magazine containing six rounds was found. A defect in the floor near the juvenile’s bedroom, consistent with the bullet’s path, was also documented.
Gutierrez admitted to accidentally dropping the firearm, resulting in the discharge, while Martin claimed ownership of the weapon. Gutierrez was arrested for having a weapon while under disability and for improperly discharging a firearm into a habitation. He was transported to the Ross County Jail and will appear in Chillicothe Municipal Court on December 4.
Approximately one pound of marijuana was also seized from the apartment for destruction, though no charges were filed regarding the drugs.
The investigation remains ongoing, and officers continue to gather evidence related to the discharge.
