COVINGTON — A Covington man shot last week in a dispute over loud music testified against the accused triggerman Wednesday during a hearing in Kenton County District Court.

        The victim, Douglas Gambrel of the 1300 block of Scott Street stood before a judge with the support of a crutch while describing the events leading up to the June 11 shooting.

        At one point the middle-aged Gambrel looked at the alleged shooter, 18-year-old Xavier M. Smith of Chicago, and calmly said, “I'll still ask you: Why in the hell did you shoot me?”

        Police say Mr. Gambrel was visiting a friend at 225 Deverill Street in Ludlow when his friend became irritated at loud music coming from Mr. Smith's car.

        The friend yelled at Mr. Smith to turn down the music, said Assistant Chief Benny Johnson of Ludlow Police. Mr. Smith turned the music down and left, according to the testimony.

        Assistant Chief Johnson said Mr. Smith went to his grandmother's home in Northern Kentuckyand took a .25-caliber pistol. Mr. Smith returned to Deverill Street about 40 minutes later, got out of his car, walked up to the porch where Mr. Gambrel and his friend sat and pulled the gun.

        Mr. Gambrel testified he told Mr. Smith to “put the gun away and leave.” He said that is when Mr. Smith fired a shot between his legs.

        “He then opened up,” Mr. Gambrel said, “hitting me point blank in the leg.”

        Assistant Chief Johnson said four shots were fired, and that Mr. Gambrel was hit twice — once in the abdomen and once in the left leg. Mr. Gambrel said one bullet went through his body without hitting any vital organs, but the other bullet is lodged in his leg. He said doctors have told him it would cause more damage to remove than leaving it. Mr. Gambrel said he will walk with a limp the rest of his life.

        Mr. Smith, who turned 18 on May 31, has a juvenile record in Chicago, authorities confirmed. Assistant Chief Johnson testified he had moved to Northern Kentucky with his grandmother to “keep out of trouble.”

        Charges are pending against two juvenile girls in the car with Mr. Smith at the time of the shooting.

        Mr. Smith and his two juvenile friends were in Ludlow visiting someone else. A judge found enough evidence during the hearing to send the case to a grand jury. Mr. Smith remained Wednesday night in the Kenton County Detention Center. He has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder.

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