Clermont County gun shop owner killed in accidental shooting

The owner of a Monroe Township gun shop was fatally shot Saturday afternoon when a student in a concealed carry permit class accidentally discharged a weapon, the Clermont County Sheriff's Office said.

James Baker, 64, was shot in the neck and pronounced dead just before 1 p.m. at his KayJay Gun Shop at 3023 Lindale-Mt. Holly Road, the sheriff's office said in a news release. He was struck by a bullet that was fired by a class participant while practicing weapon malfunction drills.

The sheriff's office reported about 10 people were taking the class in a room adjacent to where Baker was sitting.

The student who discharged the handgun has not been identified.

In the hours following the fatal incident, nearly a dozen people gathered in gravel lot in front of the business sharing hugs and tears.

Anita Fritz said she'd known Baker since 1999. She was holding a yard sale in the front yard of her father's home across the street of the gun shop when police and an ambulance arrived.

Fritz described Baker as the best neighbor you could ever have.

"He was a friend to everybody," she said. "If it snowed, he'd get everybody's driveway."

When Fritz's father recently passed away, she said Baker offered to do anything she needed. She said the same ambulance that had come for her father returned to try to save Baker.

She recalled that Baker worked in law enforcement in the 1970s and was a friend to local police and deputies.

"Cops were always coming in and out, and he told me, 'Don't worry, I'm not in trouble,'" she said. "They came and looked at his guns, get their guns fixed and cleaned and get their ammo."

KayJay Gun Shop could not be reached for comment.

An American flag flew outside the brown pole building occupied by the business. A white sign attached to a fence advertised the business to those traveling the two-lane road in rural Clermont County less than two miles southwest of East Fork State Park.

KayJay Gun Shop's website advertises concealed carry permit classes along with tactical rifle and defensive pistol classes. During this summer, concealed carry permit classes were scheduled to take place once a month.

The business holds a Type 07 and Type 06 federal firearms license allowing it to manufacture both firearms and ammunition. It also holds a Class 72 Special Occupation Taxpayer license, which is needed to manufacture firearms regulated by the National Firearms Act of 1934 that placed tighter restrictions on fully-automatic weapons and other categories of firearms.

The Clermont County Sheriff's Office is continuing to investigate the shooting.