Assistant prosecutor: Man ‘executed’ in barbershop chair while getting birthday shave

38-year-old man was “executed” in a barbershop chair while receiving a birthday shave, prosecuting officials now say.

Kevin Suttles, 38, was shot and killed in Cincinnati’s Roselawn neighborhood Tuesday afternoon.

According to investigators, Suttles was inside of a barbershop in the 7300 block of Brookcrest Drive around 3 p.m. when he was shot and killed while sitting in the barbershop chair.

Assistant Hamilton County prosecutor David Wood said Tuesday morning that “the suspect walked into the barbershop and executed the victim who was sitting in the barber chair getting a shave on his birthday.”

Suttles was pronounced dead at the scene.

Jahman Akins, 28, has been arrested in connection to his slaying. In court Wednesday morning, it was revealed that Akins was also shot Wednesday afternoon.

Wood, who requested a high bond for Akins Wednesday, said the 28-year-old was arrested in his hospital gown at The Jewish Hospital in Kenwood where he was being treated for a gunshot wound.

Akins claimed that he knew nothing of the Roselawn shooting, Wood said, telling investigators that he was shot in the Lincoln Heights area.

Police said those claims were unsubstantiated, and that Akins was identified as the gunman from witnesses at the barbershop.

“After the defendant shot the victim, he fled and the defendant was shot as he fled by an unknown person. There’s video of the transaction,” Wood said.

Investigators said there are still several unknowns surrounding the Tuesday afternoon shooting, including who allegedly shot Akins. Authorities are asking anyone with information on the shooting to contact police.

Akins’ bond was set Wednesday at $1 million, secured.

The slaying was Cincinnati’s first of 2021, coming on the heels of Cincinnati’s deadliest shooting year to date with 90 homicides and at least 484 shootings. Deaths by gunfire were up by 22 percent in 2020, officials say.

*story by WLWT News Ohio