Ally Marotti

amarotti@enquirer.com

Police arrested a man Tuesday they say "cold-heartedly" shot a father in front of his son in Evanston last week.

Robert McCallum, 24, is being held at the Hamilton County Detention Center on an aggravated robbery charge for his role in the shooting of 42-year-old LeDon Shelton, said District 2 Capt. Jeffrey Butler.

The shooting occurred at about 8:15 p.m. on June 4 in the parking lot of Jack's Market on the 3300 block of Montgomery Road. Detective Charles Zopfi said McCallum, who was with another man and woman, was standing at the lunch counter with Shelton and his 20-year-old son. They were shaking hands and laughing together at first, then things went awry.

"There was some joking going on back and forth and at some point I guess somebody took offense to the joke," Zopfi said.

The groups exchanged some shoving, but nothing too violent, Zopfi said. Clerks at the store escorted them out -- McCallum and his clan through the front and Shelton and his son through the back.

Shelton and his son went to their vehicle. This son had his door closed and Shelton was partially in the car, Zopfi said. Suddenly, the son looked up and McCallum was pointing a gun at him.

McCallum allegedly stole $20 and a cell phone from Shelton's son, Zopfi said. Shelton, however, was attempting to fend off the second suspect.

"At that point, (McCallum) sees that his partner is struggling with the victim," Zopfi said. "The suspect walks around, doesn't say a word to the victim and just fires one shot into his chest.

"He cold-heartedly just walked up and fired one shot."

But McCallum didn't run away. He slowly backed up and cocked his .40-caliber weapon, Zopfi said. He fired several shots at Shelton's son, but missed.

Shelton was losing blood fast.

"The son actually just picked him up, threw him in the car and got him (to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center)," Zopfi said. "He has not been responsive since all this happened, and I believe he is in surgery right now."

Zopfi said he thinks the son's quick moves saved Shelton's life. The bullet severed his aorta, and he has received at least 50 units of blood since he was admitted.

"He's in bad shape," Butler said. "We're very concerned about him."

The investigation into the shooting, however, is going well, Butler said.

McCallum, who told police he is staying in Cincinnati and Chicago, was arrested Tuesday morning on the 800 block of Beecher in Walnut Hills. He tried to jump out of a window to get away, but ultimately was arrested without incident. Police attribute his arrest to community and witness cooperation.

"They cooperated right from the get-go," Butler said. "Normally we get to these and there was 50 people there and no one saw a thing."

But it was different this time. Witnesses were quick to tell police the suspect was not from Evanston, and soon after the incident, tips started rolling in to Crime Stoppers.

"No one ever sees what power that has," Butler said.



Police also have positive identification for the man and woman who were with McCallum the night of the incident and plan to execute warrants Tuesday.

McCallum, who has been charged with multiple counts of robbery in Chicago and has several weapons charges locally, told police he has been shot five times in the past.