Teens accused of LAUGHING while viciously stomping, kicking and punching father-of-three outside Kroger store until armed witness intervened are charged with murder after victim died in hospital

A group of teenagers have been charged with murder after a father of three was brutally beaten to death outside an Ohio supermarket.

Donnie Smith, 53, died after the attack on Dec. 6 outside a Kroger supermarket in Columbus.

Police believe that prior to the fatal beating, Smith was involved in some sort of exchange with a group of people while he was in the store.

It is claimed the same group was waiting for him when he came out of the supermarket and launched an attack.

Jamarion Fredrae Evans-Bennett, 19, Dionta Davon Hughes, 18, and Jayden Agee, 17, have been charged with murder in Smith's death.

Police allege teenagers Jamarion Fredrae Evans-Bennett and Dionta Davon Hughes were involved in the assault that claimed Smith's life

Smith was shopping at a Kroger store in Columbus when he was involved in an incident, police say. Detectives believe a group of teenagers were waiting for him to walk outside when he was attacked, beaten and left unconscious and bleeding

A statement seen by the Columbus Shipping describes how officers viewed security footage of the attack in which the trio followed Smith as he left Kroger.

'Three men had an argument with customers in the shop. As a result, the suspects were asked to leave by security,” police said in their report.

“Once outside, a physical altercation occurred between three males and the victim.”

Police allege the group stomped, kicked and punched him until he was unconscious and left bleeding from the head.

A witness told police how the group were seen 'laughing and enjoying themselves' as they carried out the brutal attack.

The attack only ended when a witness with a firearm intervened and ordered the three to stop.

The father is remembered as a “wonderful” man who loved his children, said Nicole Evans, his partner of 20 years

Evans and Smith share a 15-year-old son and a six-year-old daughter

Smith was found a short time later at the pharmacy drive-thru by a store employee.

Hughes and Evans-Bennett are being held in the Franklin County Jail on $1 million bond. The juvenile is in the county detention center while a decision is made on whether to charge him as an adult.

Speaking of Smith, Nicole Evans described her partner of 20 years as “an amazing person.”

The couple shared a 15-year-old son and a six-year-old daughter.

'He was a great father. He loved his children. They were his world,” she said.

Evans said Smith's murder was a “random act of violence.”

“They just grabbed him and beat him to death,” she said ABC6. 'It's sickening. I don't understand how anyone could do that to a human being.'

Family and friends have one GoFundMe to help the children move forward.