COLUMBUS – Police officers trying to arrest a man who may have been a kidnapping suspect found themselves in an exchange of gunfire with the man at a North Side hotel Wednesday afternoon, which left the suspect dead and an officer injured.
Officers were dispatched to the Sinclair Road Office Park at 4:33 p.m. on a report that two men were arguing and one of them had a gun. When the officers arrived, they were told that one of the men was observed at Americas Best Value Inn, 4875 Sinclair Road, police spokesman Sgt. Rich Weiner said.
While looking for the man, the officers learned that a man staying in a room at the hotel was possibly wanted for kidnapping, Weiner said.
A witness at the scene says the officers were met with gunfire shortly after trying to make contact with the 28-year-old man inside. Weiner says one sergeant and four officers returned fire, striking the suspect as he barged out of the room.
The suspect died later at Grant Medical Center and one of the officers was taken to Riverside Methodist Hospital, where he was treated and released.
A handgun and rifle were recovered from the scene.
Weiner says investigators are reviewing body camera footage to determine which officers fired shots.
The suspect has been identified but his name is being withheld pending notification to next of kin, Weiner said.
As with all officer-involved shootings, the incident will be investigated by the Division of Police Critical Incident Response Team and the findings will be forwarded to the division’s command.