New dad killed after standing up for black friend against racist rant

A 25-year-old father from York County was fatally shot in a parking lot after he defended his friend from racial slurs. The shooter has been arrested.

As reported by York Daily Record, Chad Merrill from Hellam Township was with his friend, Jerrell Douglas, when the 24-year-old James Saylor entered the Red Rose Bar.

Saylor spewed racial slurs, including the n-word, to Douglas. The owners had Saylor removed from the premises for his behavior. Read more on our Twitter, @amomama_usa.

While Douglas remained calm throughout the incident, Merrill followed Saylor into the parking lot. Security footage shows that Saylor shot at the direction of the building, presumably out of anger.

Seconds later, Merrill exited the building and approached Saylor, who was already sitting in his Chevy Silverado pickup truck.

Saylor shot him through the window and sped out of the parking lot. He drove into an Uber vehicle on his way out. Authorities found him at his parents' house where he lived in the basement.

As reported by People, Saylor is currently being held without bail at the York County Jail on suspicion of criminal homicide.

Merrill was rushed to the York Hosptial with a gunshot wound to the chest and was pronounced dead shortly before 2 am.

Officers investigating the case suspect that Merrill was "trying to right the wrong," while his brother, Richard Merrill, said the family wasn't surprised to hear that he died defending his friend.

"It was in his nature. “He was always the peacemaker. He didn’t want people hating each other or the world being segregated the way it is, with the racism you see all over the news."

Richard Merrill, The Washington Post, July 23, 2018.

Chad became a father five months ago, and Richard said that his brother lived for his son. He lit up when he was around the baby.

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account has since been created to pay for his funeral and support his family. The goal was set at $15,000, and 1,580 people have raised nearly $52,000 in three days.