A man who was shot in the head early Sunday morning in Canton has died, according to authorities.
Richard Staats, who had been listed in critical condition, died Tuesday, April 21, after being taken off life support, officials said.
Canton police were initially dispatched around 4:30 a.m. Sunday to the area of Tuscarawas Street West and Broad Avenue following reports of shots fired. While en route, dispatchers received additional information indicating a male victim had been shot inside a nearby residence.
Upon arrival, officers entered the home and found Staats lying between a bed and a wall. A woman inside the residence, who told officers she had called 911, directed them to the scene and provided a description of a possible suspect.
Officers moved furniture to reach Staats and began administering aid. He was found with a gunshot wound to the front of his head and a possible exit wound at the rear. He had a pulse and was breathing at the time, though he showed signs of severe injury. He was transported to a hospital, where he remained in critical condition until his death.
Multiple 911 calls described a chaotic scene. One caller reported a man banging on her door, claiming someone was trying to shoot him, though it remains unclear if that individual was Staats. Another caller reported hearing approximately eight gunshots.
A separate 911 call from inside the apartment captured a frantic woman telling dispatchers, “He’s shot in the head, oh my God, oh my God,” as she cried during the call.
A neighbor reported that the person responsible for the shooting fled the scene immediately afterward.
During the initial investigation, a pellet gun and a cellphone were found near the victim. The woman at the scene was separated from others, and multiple witnesses, along with a potential suspect, were taken in for questioning.
Police secured the residence as a crime scene while investigators searched for evidence. The investigation remains ongoing, and no charges have been announced.
