COLUMBUS – A violent daylight home invasion-style robbery near the OSU campus prompted a safety alert from university police.
This article has been revised to include the names of the victims.
Columbus police robbery investigators say two men were in critical condition but expected to survive after being shot by a man who opened the door of their apartment at 70 W. Northwood Avenue at approximately 1:00 Wednesday afternoon, demanded property and shot them both.
Police officers and paramedics found Johnny Lopez, 21, and Ryan Kelly, 22, and took them to the OSU Wexner Medical Center where they were listed in critical, but stable, condition and were expected to survive, Sgt. Dave Sicilian of the Homicide Unit said.
The suspect fled in an unknown direction and a shelter-in-place directive was issued for the university campus while Columbus and OSU Police actively searched for the man, who was described as black, 6′- 6’2″ tall with a thin build, approximately 150-160 lbs., with shoulder-length dreadlocks and was carrying a black book bag, police said.
Sicilian says neither of the victims is an OSU student
Anyone with information on this incident is encouraged to call the Columbus Police Homicide Unit at 614-645-4730 or Crime Stoppers at 614-645-TIPS (8477).