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‘She didn’t deserve to get shot;’ Attorney of woman shot at auto parts store considering civil suit

DAYTON — The investigation into a fight and shooting at an auto parts store in Dayton has turned into a legal battle.

Police responded to the O’Reilly Auto Parts store in W. Third Street in Dayton Thursday evening on reports of a shooting.

Video posted to social media showed two women in a physical altercation. When the pair briefly broke away from each other, an employee, later identified as 31-year-old Ke’Laron Watson, went to the counter, grabbed a gun and fired one shot at the other woman, later identified as Barbara Beaty.

Police arrested Watson for aggravated assault. She appeared in court Monday where a judge set her bond at $50,000.

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Watson told officers that she was helping Beaty find a car part when she became upset and threatened her. She also told officers that Beaty attacked her and “beat her about the head with her fists,” according to court documents.

Watson said she fired her gun because she thought Beaty was coming at her for another attack.

Video of the incident showed the attack and Watson retrieving a gun, pointing it at Beaty and firing it at her as she walked away, according to court records.

“Her conduct wasn’t necessarily great, however, she didn’t deserve to be shot twice in the back,” Michael Wright, Beaty’s attorney, said.

Wright said Beaty was shot not once, but twice. He said that one bullet remains lodged in her back.

“They’re unable to remove [it],” Wright said.

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Beaty had been discharged from the hospital, but had to be re-admitted due to complications from the second gunshot wound, according to Wright.

Wright said the police will handle the criminal case and doesn’t expect his client to face charges. He did tell News Center 7′s Mike Campbell that he will likely pursue a civil lawsuit.

“The wrongdoing by the store, what kind of training she has had. Why does an employee have a firearm?” Wright asked.

The Dayton law firm Rion & Rion confirmed that they are planning to represent Watson, who they believe was simply defending herself.

News Center 7 reached out to O’Reilly Auto Part’s corporate offices on the incident and are waiting on a response.

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