Family, friends gather to boost Alliance shooting victim
ALLIANCE – An Alliance man remains in intensive care more than a month after he was shot outside a convenience store.
Larry Nichols, 58, has undergone seven surgeries since he was shot in the left chest on May 23, said Jim Williams, his friend of 45 years.
More:Alliance-area man accused of attempted murder at gas station
More:Larry Nichols fundraiser: June 25, 2022
"The bullet traveled down, hit his descending aorta, went through his stomach, went through his liver, through his colon and is lodged in his back. It's still in his back," Williams said.
Nichols' wife, Veronica, said her husband may need to undergo two more surgeries in the near future.
What happened to Larry Nichols?
Alliance Police responded to a call of shots fired about 10:22 a.m. May 23 to the area outside the BellStores/Marathon gas station at 2491 W. State St., according to an incident report from the Alliance Police Department.
A female BellStores employee told a police dispatcher that a man had been shot in the chest in the parking lot and appeared to be conscious and breathing, according to an Alliance Police service call report.
Officers arrested 78-year-old Charles Reed of Cenfield Street NE in Washington Township. He is accused of shooting Nichols with a .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun, according to Stark County Jail records.
Reed also called 911 about 10:25 a.m. and told a dispatcher he had shot a male subject, according to the service call report.
Williams said Reed has been Nichols' neighbor for four years. It is unclear what led to the shooting.
Reed's case was bound over to the Stark County Common Pleas Court. He was indicted on charges of attempted murder, a first-degree felony; felonious assault, a second-degree felony; and menacing by stalking, a fourth-degree felony. The attempted murder and felonious assault charges each carry three-year firearm specifications.
Reed allegedly harassed Nichols between May 1, 2018, and May 23, 2022, according to court documents, and knowingly made Nichols believe that he "would cause physical harm to Larry Nichols or a family or household member of Larry Nichols" or cause them mental distress.
Reed's bond was set at $250,000, 10% cash surety, according to court documents.
Reed posted bond June 15. He is scheduled to appear for arraignment at 8:30 a.m. July 8 before Stark County Common Pleas Court Judge Taryn Heath.
Reed's attorney Jeffrey Jakmides said he does not comment on pending cases, but that Reed will be pleading not guilty to the charges.
How is Larry Nichols doing?
Recovery has been difficult for Nichols, Williams said. He had surgery on both of his knees not long before he was shot, he said, and hadn't done rehab on one of them.
"They said basically he's going to have to learn to walk again," Williams said.
Friends, family and members of the Alliance community came together Saturday at Robertson Heating Supply for a benefit dinner, raffle and silent auction to raise money to help Nichols with his medical bills.
More than 60 baskets were auctioned off, featuring items such as gift certificates, body care products, wine, food and blankets. Nichols is a woodworker, and there were several items he carved himself auctioned during the event.
The dinner was organized by Williams. He said Nichols helped him and his family through a tragedy of their own a while ago. Williams decided to hold the benefit so he could help support Nichols and his family through this difficult time, he said.
"I'm very amazed," Veronica Nichols said, regarding the event's turnout.
She is appreciative of the community's support, she said, and asked people to keep her family in their prayers. She said the community has been supportive, and there were people in attendance at the benefit dinner who she didn't know.
Williams also created a GoFundMe to help offset the cost of Nichols' medical expenses.
The fundraiser has amassed $4,240 in donations so far.
Reach Paige at 330-580-8577 or pmbennett@gannett.com, or on Twitter at @paigembenn.