Police: 18-year-old shot to death during attempted robbery at Fairfield hotel

FAIRFIELD, Ohio (WXIX) - The Butler County Coroner has ruled the death of an 18-year-old at a Fairfield hotel on Sunday a homicide.

Kaaree Hipsher-Burton, 18, of Cincinnati, died from a gunshot wound, according to the coroner.

The Fairfield Police Department said the shooting happened around 5:30 a.m. on the second floor of the Holiday Inn Express on Fairfield Business Park Drive.

According to a 911 call, Hipsher-Burton had a gun and was trying to rob a man and others in the hotel room.

The caller said he then shot Hipsher-Burton.

“He had a firearm and he told us to get on the ground or he was going to shoot us. And I shot him,” the caller said.

Previously the caller advised Hipsher-Burton had a ski mask on.

Officers arrived at the hotel to find Hipsher-Burton dead in the hallway, police explained.

When police released that information on Monday, they said no arrests had been made. Police explained at the time they were investigating the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.

Maj. Rebecca Ervin with the Fairfield Police Department says they will present their investigation to the prosecutor’s office for review and discussion about possible criminal charges.

A couple at the hotel Sunday night say they’re still traumatized by what they heard.

“There was the loudest noise I had heard in my life,” said Stacey James, “the kind that made me completely jump out of my skin.”

Stacey and her husband, Michael James, were in town visiting their son, a Miami University Student. They were a handful of doors down from the room where the shooting happened.

“It was shocking when we heard it, and then to find out that it was indeed a gunshot was... It just freaks you out,” Stacey said. “Your stress levels go up a million percent.”

Call Fairfield police at 513-829-8201 or Sgt. Pete Lagemann at 513-869-8246 if you have information that can help this investigation.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please include the title when you click here to report it.

Copyright 2022 WXIX. All rights reserved.