COLUMBUS – The total number of homicides in Columbus during 2021 is only eight shy of the record number recorded in 2020 after another violent week.
Two people died and six others, including a 12-year-old, were injured in shooting incidents over the weekend.
A 51-year-old man was found suffering from gunshot wounds at approximately 1:37 a.m. Friday by officers alerted by the ShotSpotter Alert System to two gunshots in the 2100 Block of Cleveland Avenue, Sgt. Edward Powell III of the Columbus police Homicide Unit said.
An officer rendered first aid until Columbus paramedics arrived and transported John Moore to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center where he died at 3:14 a.m.
UPDATE 11/17/21 10:19 a.m.: On November 16, an arrest warrant on a murder charge was issued for Joshua Adair, 35, in connection with the above incident. He was arrested by the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Department without incident, according to Columbus police. 11/18/21 6:52 a.m.: The victim in this crime was identified as John D. Moore.
Officers responding to a report of victim shot multiple times at the intersection of Smith Road and Valcon Avenue on the Southeast Side just after 1:30 a.m. Sunday found Edward Eugene Craft, 62, who died later at OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, Lt. Wade Spears said.
Craft is the 167th homicide victim of the year in Columbus.
There were a record 175 homicides recorded in the city last year.
The 166th victim of the year was a 32-year-old woman whose body was recovered from a home on Bashan Drive on Sept. 29. Allyson Lorenz’s death was ruled a homicide by the Franklin County Coroner’s Office, Sgt. James Marable of the Homicide Unit said.
Anyone with information regarding these incidents is asked to call the Homicide Unit at 614-645-4730 or central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS (8477).
A 12-year-old boy was recovering from a gunshot wound to the arm after being shot when someone in a vehicle opened fire on a home in the 1800 block of E. Lakeview Avenue on the Northeast Side Sunday night and a 17-year-old was injured when he was shot during an argument in outside Franklinton Prep Academy, 880 Wayne Avenue, at approximately 5:12 p.m. Sunday, police said.