CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A court-mandated child custody exchange outside the Law Enforcement Center (LEC) quickly spiraled out of control Tuesday evening, resulting in multiple fights, the deployment of pepper spray, and arrests.
According to a supplement report filed by Officer Jonathan Davis, the incident unfolded around 6:48 p.m. on November 3 following a ruling from Ross County Juvenile Court Magistrate Ater, who ordered that a young child, Chosen Wilcox, be returned to his mother, Gabriella Glover.
Officer Davis was standing by at the LEC to oversee the transfer. While waiting for Lauren Wilcox to arrive with the child, members of an accompanying party—including Kathryn Whiting—began shouting instigating remarks across the grounds toward Glover and her husband, Earl Jones IV. Officer Davis issued multiple warnings, advising the group that their disruptive behavior would lead to disorderly conduct citations.
When Wilcox arrived with the child, tensions boiled over as she began verbally insulting Glover during the handoff. Officer Davis instructed all parties to return to their vehicles to allow Glover to leave safely. However, Whiting’s group ignored orders and approached, sparking a heated confrontation.
The situation escalated rapidly when Renee Shackleford arrived on the scene and aggressively confronted Glover, prompting Officer Davis to immediately place Shackleford in handcuffs for persisting disorderly conduct. As Shackleford was being secured, an unidentified female grabbed Glover, igniting a physical fight between the two women. Officer Davis deployed OC (pepper) spray to break up the altercation, causing the unidentified female to flee the area.
While Officer Davis was placing Glover in handcuffs following the spray deployment, Robert Gillespie IV arrived and launched an attack on Jones, throwing punches. Jones defended himself, striking Gillespie in the mouth.
Troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol and corrections officers from the Ross County Jail quickly arrived to assist in securing the scene, separating the groups, and taking control of the area. Chillicothe Fire Department medics were dispatched to treat Glover for pepper spray exposure.
Shackleford was booked into the Ross County Jail on charges of persisting disorderly conduct. Gillespie was issued a court summons for his involvement after the jail declined admission due to a facial injury sustained in the melee. No additional charges were filed against other participants, and several unidentified individuals left the scene prior to questioning.
Despite the chaos, officers confirmed that young Chosen was safely returned to his mother, Gabriella, who departed with the child following medical treatment.
