COLUMBUS – Hours after a review commission returned recommendations for how to improve relations between the police and the community, Columbus saw its second fatal officer-involved shooting in less than a week.
UPDATE 2/3/20 7:52 a.m.: The Columbus Division of Police has identified the officers involved in this shooting as Ofc. Benjamin Hetzer, an 11-year veteran,and Ofc. Thomas Pezzott II, a four-year veteran.
Police shot a 15-year-old who was armed with a gun and suspected in the robbery of a pharmacy on the East Side Thursday night.
Officers responding to a reported robbery in progress at the CVS Pharmacy at 3307 E. Broad Street at 6:06 p.m. confronted Abdirahim Salad and two officers fired at him, Division of Police spokesman Sgt. James Fuqua said in a release. Salad died later at Grant Medical Center.
Multiple officers responded to the scene as calls came in that people were running out of the store and the suspect was still inside with a gun. Fuqua says the officers were confronted by Salad and two officers fired their weapons, striking the teen.
A gun was recovered at the scene and Fuqua says no injuries occurred to the officers.