COLUMBUS – Columbus crossed a milestone in violent crime just before 9:30 Tuesday night.
That’s when Ulrich Smith was pronounced dead, becoming the 100th homicide victim of 2017.
This time a year ago, approximately 70 homicide had been committed in the city and the number did not top 100 until mid-December, according to the Dispatch.
Smith, 42, was shot just before 8:58 p.m., in the area of E. 5th Avenue, near the James Road ramp west of Steltzer Road where officers found him after receiving multiple reports of a shooting, Homicide Unit Sgt. Stanley Latta said.
Smith was pronounced dead at 9:26 p.m. at Grant Medical Center, Latta said.
The 99th homicide victim was a 19-year-old man who died Sunday of injuries sustained on August 27, Latta said.
That was when Joshua Lucas walked into Mt. Carmel Medical Center with a gunshot wound in the upper body, Latta said.
There were no suspects or motives in either incident and Latta says anyone with any information should contact the Columbus Police Homicide Unit at 614-645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477.
The investigations are continuing.
Police are looking for a woman they say deliberately ran down a man on the West Side during a fight last month.
A warrant has been issued on a murder charges for Takecha Christina Heath, 36 (above), for allegedly striking Frederick Massie with her car on purpose after a fight involving several people in the 400 block of S. Warren Avenue early in the morning of Sept. 21, Homicide Unit Sgt. Jeff Strayer said.
Anyone with information on Health’s whereabouts is asked to call the Columbus Police Homicide Unit at 614-645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS.