Family of fatal hit-skip victim asks for transparency from Columbus police investigation

The family of the woman killed early April 20 in a hit-skip crash is speaking out, saying they are seeking more answers and more transparency from Columbus police investigating her death.

The woman, Naimo Mahdi Abdirahman — whom government records list as age 30 but a family member says was 26 — was a pedestrian when was struck and killed by an eastbound vehicle early April 20 at Morse Road and Walford Street on the city's Northeast Side. Her identity was officially released by Columbus police Monday.

A veteran officer with the Columbus Division of Police has been placed on paid suspension while police investigate the crash.

Her family, members of Columbus' Somali community, told The Dispatch on Tuesday that they did not know where Abdirahman was for a couple of days.

Her father, Mahdi Jama, 55, told The Dispatch through an interpreter that a Columbus police detective contacted the family Monday through the family's attorney, Russ Flickinger, to inform them of Abdirahman's death. Flickinger said the family had already discovered her death by calling the Franklin County Coroner's office.

Columbus Division of Police procedure is the coroner's office must officially confirm the name first and notify police before police notify family, and then the public.

Samira Shire, 21, a cousin to Abdirahman, said family members had seen her just days before her death and that she was a beloved member of their family.

"She meant a lot to our entire family," Shire said. "She was such a kind and bubbly person and everyone who knew her, knew her to be someone who was very respectful and loving to all."

Abdirahman was a graduate of Centennial High School on the Northwest Side, and had also attended Columbus State Community College. Her family said she leaves behind an almost 2-year old child.

"She was a kind, thoughtful person — she really enjoyed spending time with her family and being there for her friends," said another cousin, 22-year-old Salma Shire.

According to a Columbus police news release issued Monday, police responded around 2:40 a.m. Wednesday to a report that Abdirahman was attempting to cross Morse Road when she was struck by an eastbound vehicle.

The female driver of the vehicle briefly stopped, and a male passenger got out to check the condition of Abdirahman. The male "appeared distraught" and reportedly told the witnesses to call the police, the release states.

The female driver continued eastbound on Morse after the man got out, then retuned, picked up the male passenger and fled the scene, police said.

Abdirahman was pronounced dead at the scene by medics at 2:48 a.m., police said.

The owner of the vehicle involved in the crash, a 2022 Kia Sorento, has been identified as Columbus police Officer Demetris Ortega, a 20-year veteran of the police division.

Ortega has not been charged with any crime related to the incident. Hours after the crash, Ortega was placed on "relieved of duty" status — essentially paid suspension — by Chief Elaine Bryant

Salma Shire said she feels like Columbus police are not providing routine information to the family about her cousin's death.

"It just seems extremely disrespectful to the family, someone who just lost a close loved one," Salma Shire said. "Just there to be any withholding of information, especially to the ones closest to her."

Sgt. James Fuqua, spokesman for the Columbus Division of Police, said Monday that no suspects have been been identified.

On Monday, Fuqua said there was no timeline for identifying suspects in the case, noting that: "We’re treating this no different than any hit-skip. They can take a while waiting for things to come back."

Salma Shire said that the family has been hearing and reading a few details, but "not the whole story."

"So hopefully whenever that's figured out, that can be relayed back to us," she said.

Abdirahman came to the United States when she was 5 and became a naturalized American citizen, said Hassan Omar, president of the Somali Community Association of Ohio.

Cole Behrens is a reporter at The Columbus Dispatch covering public safety and breaking news. You can reach him at CBehrens@dispatch.com or find him on Twitter at

@Colebehr_report

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Victim's family in fatal hit-skip seeking answers in investigation