Former Rare Staff
Pop star Nick Lachey is begging the public for help after a shooting occurred at his Cincinnati sports bar.
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His employee Elizabeth Richardson, 27, was walking near the bar, Lachey’s, in the early hours of Thanksgiving when someone called out to her from a black van.
As Richardson — a newly engaged mother of one — walked towards the van, the person pulled out a gun and shot her in the face. Remarkably, Richardson survived the ordeal but was hospitalized with serious injuries to her face and jaw, Cincinnati Police Department spokesman Sgt. Steve Saunders told local ABC affiliate WCPO.
A fundraising page was set up for Richardson, who is currently in a stable condition; it’s not clear how long she will take to recover from the injury, or if she will recover fully.
The Saturday after the shooting, Lachey took to Twitter to share the story and implore the public to help identify her shooter and bring them to justice.
“Ellie is the brightest light and she will find a way to shine through this darkness. Anyone with information, help us find some justice,” he wrote. “Please help Ellie and her family get through this difficult time. Thank you!!”
Ellie is the brightest light and she will find a way to shine through this darkness. Anyone with any information, help us find some justice. https://t.co/h4Yt6gorPm
— Nick Lachey (@NickLachey) November 24, 2017
Please help Ellie and her family get through this most difficult time. Thank you!!https://t.co/aF2tPmX9kJ
— Nick Lachey (@NickLachey) November 25, 2017
The 44-year-old “Dancing With the Stars” contestant opened Lachey’s in 2015 with his younger brother — and former 98 Degrees bandmate — Drew in their hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Drew, 41, also also encouraged his Twitter follower to come forward with any information regarding the crime.
“As some of you may have heard, Ellie was the victim of a vicious assault. If u have any info about it please contact the authorities or u can help her on her recovery by donating. Thank you and please keep her in your prayers,” he wrote.
As some of you may have heard, Ellie was the victim of a vicious assault. If u have any info about it please contact the authorities or u can help her on her recovery by donating. Thank you and please keep her in your prayers. ❤️https://t.co/YmpA4D1ftf
— Drew Lachey (@DrewLachey) November 25, 2017
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Prior to his elimination from the show, Nick recently spoke about how his kids weren’t too happy about his “Dancing With The Stars” tenure. His son couldn’t wait for the show to be over so they could spend more time together.
“It’s a lot of time. It’s a lot of rehearsals every day, and then it’s all the packages and the interviews and the things you have to shoot outside of rehearsal. So to have both parents fully engaged in this whole thing, it’s been tough,” he said of how his kids — Camden, 5, Brooklyn, 2, and Phoenix, 10 months — are handling him and his wife Vanessa being away so much for the show.
