Ron Welch
Muskingum County Prosecutor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, July 23, 2025
Zanesville Man Pleads Guilty to 2024 City Hall Shooting
Zanesville, OH - A Zanesville man, Patrick Foraker, angry that his water was turned off, fired three shots into the water department clerk’s office at City Hall in February of 2024. This week he pleaded guilty to several charges and now faces a lengthy prison sentence.
Foraker Entered a Guilty Plea to the following charges:
· 3 Counts of Felonious Assault with a firearm; one count for each shot fired at the building and including the occupants in the potential path of the bullets.
· One Count of Inducing Panic
For these charges Foraker is facing a prison sentence up to thirty-one and a half (31 ½) years.
Case Details:
On February 12, 2024, Patrick Foraker arrived at Zanesville City Hall angry about his water being turned off for failure to pay his bill. Following an outburst at the payment window, Foraker threw a yellow billing slip through the clerk’s window slot and walked away. After Foraker left the window, a clerk went over to pick up the slip and as she bent down to retrieve the billing slip Foraker fired three shots directly into the clerk’s window.
City Hall security footage captured much of what occurred. The video matched the victims’ statements.
On March 11, 2024, Foraker’s defense attorney submitted a request that the defendant undergo a competency evaluation. A competency evaluation determines if a defendant understands the charges against them and can assist in his/her own defense. The defense motion in this case claimed that the defendant did not know the wrongfulness of his actions due to disease or mental defect and that he was not competent to stand trial.
On April 29, 2024, the Court held a hearing regarding Foraker’s competence. The competency evaluation determined that Foraker was then not capable of assisting in his own defense.
A little more than a year later, following treatment provided by Appalachian Behavioral Health, the defendant was re-evaluated and found to be competent to stand trial.
“The outcome of this case shows our office is both patient and firm in the pursuit of justice,” said Muskingum County Prosecutor Ron Welch. “We were patient while the defendant received necessary mental health care. Once that care was provided, we were firm in our commitment to holding the defendant accountable. We are thankful no one suffered physical wounds, but we will be requesting a sentence that takes into account both the risk of physical harm and the mental anguish suffered by the victims in this case.”
Judge Kelly Cottrill will sentence Foraker at a later date.
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