COLUMBUS – Coming off a record year for homicides, Columbus is already well ahead of last year’s pace with 39 murders in a little over two months, four of them over this past weekend.
Four men were killed in separate incidents as the city saw a half-dozen shootings, including one at a Walmart than sent a 14-year-old to the hospital in critical condition.
The 39th murder of 2021 came early Sunday morning during a fight between two people at the Sand Pebble Lounge, 1913 Lockbourne Road, on the Southeast Side, Sgt. David Shimberg of the Homicide Unit said.
Christian Davis, 19, was found on the outside patio of the bar by officers at 1:55 a.m. and taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at 2:30 a.m.
This incident is still under investigation.
Davis was one of three 19-year-old men killed during the violent weekend.
Witnesses inside a house at 3428 Bolton Avenue, on the East Side, claimed Caleb Day, 19, was handling a firearm when it went off at 3:29 a.m. Sunday, killing Day, but Sgt. James Marable of the Homicide Unit says physical evidence at the scene contradicted those statements.
Based on the physical evidence it does not appear Day shot himself, Marable said.
UPDATE 3/9/21 9:07 A.M.: Tejuan Files, 20, turned himself in after an arrest warrant was issued in connection with the death of Caleb Day.
Garner Bledsoe II went to Grant Medical Center under his own power at 2:32 a.m. Saturday but, despite medical treatment, died at 3:06 a.m., Shimberg said.
The location of this shooting is still unknown and Shimberg says investigators are talking to persons of interest to obtain additional information surrounding the incident, which remains under investigation.
Officers found Michael Keaton inside a home in the 2300 block of Ridgeway Avenue, on the East Side, just after 11:30 p.m. Friday.
Shimberg says Keaton, 42, was suffering from a gunshot wound and unresponsive. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators are still attempting to determine what led up to the shooting, Shimberg said.
Anyone with information regarding these shootings is asked to call the Columbus Police Homicide Section at 614-645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS.
A 14-year-old boy was taken to the hospital in critical condition after being shot multiple times in the upper torso and head at the Walmart store at 3900 Morse Road just before 7:00 p.m. Saturday, police said.
Felony assault charges have been filed against Shannon Knighten, 23, who remains at large, according to Det. Mautez Fulton of the Felony Assault Unit.
A 28-year-old man was in stable condition and expected to survive after being shot inside PoDunks Bar, 1644 E. Dublin-Granville Road after a fight broke out, sending people fleeing the bar, police said.
Brandon Scarberry was shot in the back of his right leg after hearing several gunshots, he told police.