COLUMBUS – One man shot during a home invasion and another in a possible act of self-defense during an attempted robbery Thursday raised the yearly murder total in Columbus to 34.
HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION: Today, 4/25/19@10:17am officers responded to 231 S. Harris Ave. on a home invasion/robbery.
48yo Javier Martinez was shot & taken to Grant Medical Center. Pronounced deceased@10:51am. Suspect sought.
Info-CPD: 614-645-4730 or sglasure@columbuspolice.org pic.twitter.com/Wr7sKiNN0a— Columbus Ohio Police (@ColumbusPolice) April 26, 2019
Police are looking for one man after a deadly home invasion on the Hilltop Thursday morning.
Martinez Javier, 48, was shot to death inside a home on S. Harris Avenue shortly after 10:15 a.m. by a man witnesses said was armed with an rifle or shotgun and fled the scene on Palmetto Street, wearing a black hoodie and a mask, Sgt. Eric Pilya of the Homicide Unit said.
Javier died later at Mount Carmel Medical Center, Pilya said.
A would-be armed robber was apparently shot by his intended victim in Franklinton at approximately 10:18 p.m., said Sgt. Jeffrey Strayer.
Witnesses told investigators that Thomas Hunt tried to hold up a victim in the 900 block of W. Town Street and was shot by the individual, whose identity was not released by police.
Hunt, 39, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Strayer says witness reported that other individuals may have taken evidence prior to police arrival and those people are being sought by detectives for questioning.
Anyone with information regarding either incident is asked to call the Columbus Police Homicide Unit at 614-645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS.