Police to give update Monday on weekend shootings as visitors return to Short North
On Sunday morning, customers wandered into the Big Fun store in the Short North, a seller of vintage toys such as G.I. Joes, Lego sets and Power Rangers figures.
It was a rainy morning, but that didn't seem to deter people visiting the store or walking down North High Street for Sunday coffee or brunch, or even toy shopping.
Nor did the early Saturday morning shooting along North High Street that injured several people and woke frazzled residents.
Jason Williams, the owner of Big Fun at 672 N. High St., said he wants more of a police presence in the Short North, every day, at all hours. A Cleveland native, Williams said the Short North is the best business district district in the state. He wants to keep it that way, although he knows violence is a problems in many places.
"I recognize we're not immune to this sort of thing," Williams said. "It's a national epidemic."
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Gunshots rang out about 2:30 a.m. Saturday in the 600 block of North High Street, Within minutes, Columbus police officers arrived, hearing more gunshots close by. Multiple officers fired back.
Columbus police detectives and Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation agents on Saturday were trying to figure out how many people were injured. One person was in critical condition. No officers were hurt. Police found a gun at the scene.
Melanie Amato, Columbus police spokeswoman, said in a text she had no further information Sunday, but would have an update Monday.
Evidence of the gunfire remained Sunday morning. Two bullet holes and fractured windows remained at Roaming Goat Coffee, 849 N. High St.
About five blocks to the south, a black board had been screwed into a window frame at The Pearl, 641 N. High St. A bullet had pierced a window there, but Sunday brunch was busy Sunday morning with people in for graduation at Ohio State University, manager Liz Hundley said.
People with laptops lined the window at One Line Coffee. Others jogged or rode scooters down the sidewalk.
But Williams said he does fear a loss of business, especially if violence ends up happening during the day.
"That when things will change," he said.
Meri Sikora and Nicole Thomas were in town with their 14-year-old daughters for a volleyball tournament. They were out looking for an open gift shop Sunday morning.
Sikora, 43, of the Cleveland suburb of Olmsted Falls, said on Saturday night she and Thomas were out with their daughters, thinking about a stop at Jeni's Ice Cream on North High. But then they heard about the Saturday morning shooting and decided to call it a night.
Thomas, 52, of Cleveland, said, "It's making me more aware of my surroundings.
Arden Bolia, studio coordinator at Pinot's Palette, 691 N. High St, said those working there are more cautious, making sure doors are locked after they first arrive.
"We don't think it's a dangerous place in general," she said.
Curran Alvarez, who owns the Blossom Tattoo Company, 815 N. High St., was taking photos, bouquet in hand, of a sign to advertise his new flower sales. He said once police reopened the street on Saturday, business picked right back up.
"It was like nothing had happened," said Alvarez, 31, of Upper Arlington, who said he feels "totally safe."
Down High Street, Matt McLeod and Jamison Oakes were standing on a High Street sidewalk down from McLeod's third-floor apartment.
Oakes has been staying in McLeod's apartment this weekend, down from Mount Vernon to help a friend with some painting. He heard the shooting: "Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop," said Oakes, 42, who said he dove behind a wall, and took a brief video of police cruisers arriving on the scene.
McLeod said he has lived there for five years. He doesn't plan to move any time soon. "It's tough, but I'm not scared," he said. But he said the shooting Saturday morning "felt different" because of its extent.
Oakes was ready to head home.
"It did make me feel I need to get back to my small town," he said.
mferench@dispatch.com
@MarkFerenchik
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Police to give update Monday on weekend shootings as visitors return to Short North
