COLUMBUS – The total of homicides in Columbus in 2021 grew by three over the weekend with another death under investigation, though it had not been ruled a homicide.
Police are looking for a 23-year-old man who has been charged with murder in the shooting death of another man on the Far East Side Saturday night.
Detectives say Brian Smith shot Rodney Brown, 46, who was found lying on a sidewalk in the rear of an address in the 6100 block of Stornoway Drive just after 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sgt. David Shimberg of the Homicide Unit said.
The two men had been arguing before the shooting, Shimberg said.
This was the 145th homicide of the year in Columbus.
A 27-year-old man who died at Grant Medical Center nearly a week after being shot became the 146th murder victim of the year.
Police say Marcus Payne, 27, was shot on Sept. 6 after he and his brother confronted a group of people they believed had broken into the brother’s car, Sgt. James Marable said. He died at 8:24 p.m. Sunday.
The 147th homicide victim of the year — Guann Gregory, 24 — died at OhioHealth Grant Medical Center a few minutes after police found him in the 1200 block of Brookway Road on the East Side just after 5:00 p.m. Sunday, Sgt. Edward Powell III said.
UPDATE 9/16/21 7:39 a.m.: Police have filed an arrest warrant for Garland Williams, 45, in connection with Gregory’s death. His whereabouts were unknown as of Thursday morning. He has been charged with murder.
The death of a man who was struck by a vehicle in a Northeast Side alley Sunday has been ruled a homicide, the 149th of the year, and the victim has been identified as Kaine Ratcliff, Marable said.
UPDATE 9/17/21 9:05 a.m.: This story has been edited to include the name of the victim in this incident.
Ratcliff, 26, was found by officers who were responding to a report of pedestrian being hit by a vehicle just before 1:50 p.m. in the 2600 block of Beulah Road, Marable said.
Meanwhile, an arrest warrant has been filed for a 32-year-old man in connection with the shooting death of a man on the Southeast Side last week.