Short North mass shooting: What we know now and what we still don't
The investigation into a shooting that injured 10 people, including two juveniles, in the Short North remains ongoing, with police saying Tuesday that there may be four or more different people involved.
Columbus police provided some information at a press conference Monday afternoon, including that officers were on "nearly every street corner" in the popular nightlife area as bars closed early Sunday. Additional information was provided Tuesday.
Court records also say officers saw a male wearing all black clothing running from the area of the shooting before getting into a white Honda Civic that drove away at a high rate of speed. The driver of that Honda, 19-year-old Deangelo Fuller, turned himself into police on Sunday evening.
Fuller is charged with one count of obstructing official business. He posted a $100,000 bond on Monday, according to Franklin County Municipal Court records.
Tuesday, Columbus Division of Police Assistant Chief LaShanna Potts said casings at the scene indicate the involvement of at least four gunmen, but little additional information was available.
Here's a look at what we know and still don't know about Sunday morning's mass shooting.
Who were the victims in the Short North shooting?
Columbus police said the victims were all males between the ages of 16 and 27. Their names and additional information about them have not been provided.
Police have stopped providing the names of those wounded in shootings on press releases, citing Marsy's Law. The law, which Columbus police also cite as the reason for not identifying officers involved in police shootings, is designed to protect the rights of crime victims.
The names of the victims were redacted from a police report provided to The Dispatch on Tuesday, as were the victims' ages and sexes.
The 911 calls placed after the shooting include several from victims, including a police officer from Virginia. The calls suggest that the victims did not all know each other or the shooters.
What was the motive for the shooting in the Short North?
The motivation for the shooting has not been provided, although police said Tuesday that casings from at least four different firearms were found at the scene, leading them to suspect at least four gunmen.
In some instances, 911 calls placed by people who have witnessed the shooting or seen suspects can provide additional information about what happened in the lead up to shots being fired.
The 911 calls from Sunday's shooting do not provide any information about what led up to the shooting. None of the callers reported hearing anything to warn the shooting would happen.
Are there any suspects in the Short North shooting?
Columbus police said they believe there could be four or more different shooters, based on shell casings at the scene. They have not said whether Fuller, who turned himself in Sunday, could have fired any shots.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has offered a $10,000 reward for tips leading to the arrest of the shooters.
Was Sunday's shooting related to other recent violence?
Sunday morning's shooting in the Short North occurred about five weeks after three people were killed and three others injured outside a hookah lounge.
While MIA Hookah Lounge is technically outside the traditional boundaries of the Short North, it is only a few blocks north in the Italian Village neighborhood.
Columbus police have not identified a suspect in the May 18 triple shooting.
Between May 18 and Sunday, three people have been killed in shootings in Downtown Columbus, including two who were shot outside a dance club. A suspect, 26-year-old Jaquez Hoover, has been identified in that shooting. Police are actively searching for Hoover.
With little information available about the motivations for each of the shootings, it is unclear if there are any connections.
Was a Columbus police helicopter involved in chasing the Honda Civic?
On Tuesday, Potts said a Columbus police helicopter was in the air at the time of the Short North shooting but was not over the entertainment district.
Jennifer Watson, the Division of Police's communications director, said the helicopter was not called to assist in the pursuit because it was not believed it would get there in time to be helpful to officers on the ground.
The department has five helicopters on its fleet that have been the subject of discussion and regulation since their use to monitor protests in 2020. The Dispatch reported in 2020 that the helicopters were able to respond to a scene in an average time of under a minute and can cross the county end-to-end in about nine minutes.
The helicopters are required to stay above an altitude of 1,500 feet above sea level unless given temporary clearance by the Federal Aviation Administration to reduce noise and disruption to the community.
In 2020, the helicopter unit operated from noon until 4 a.m. The Dispatch has asked Columbus police to clarify the unit's current working hours.
FlightAware, a website that tracks flights around the world, shows a helicopter registered to Columbus police in the air at the time of the shooting and appearing to respond in the direction police said the pursuit traveled.
Will there be increased security in the Short North in the future?
Following a shooting incident in the Short North in May 2023, Mayor Andrew Ginther asked businesses, including bars, to voluntarily close at midnight to try to prevent violence.
Ginther also signed an executive order that was also approved by City Council to limit the hours for mobile food vendors in the Short North area. Police barred street parking between certain hours and paid officers double time to work special duty during peak times.
Tuesday, Betsy Pandora, executive director of the Short North Alliance, said in response to community feedback, the Short North has added more officers patrolling streets and added cameras. Those programs will continue, she said, and her organization was planning to meet with police Tuesday night to discuss safety in the district.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Mass shooting in Columbus, Ohio: Victims, motive among unknowns
