Protests planned after Columbus fatal police shooting. What happened to Donovan Lewis?
The family of a Donovan Lewis, the 20-year-old unarmed man who was fatally shot Tuesday by a Columbus police officer, is calling for protests to remain peaceful this weekend and demanding change as the community processes the killing.
Officer Ricky Anderson shot Lewis early Tuesday morning while Lewis was in bed during an attempted arrest on charges of domestic violence, assault and improper handling of a firearm. Lewis died at a hospital and police released body camera footage following the shooting.
What's next: The state has launched an investigation, and Anderson is on paid administrative leave. Once the investigation is complete, it will be presented to a grand jury for a possible indictment.
This weekend: A series of demonstrations and marches were planned in response to Lewis' death. On Friday, more than 100 demonstrators gathered outside police headquarters, where Lewis' parents spoke. The Columbus Urban League plans to host a public forum about the shooting Saturday morning.
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Body camera footage: Police fatally Black man in bed
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Here's what to know:
Body camera video: Officer fires weapon almost immediately after entering bedroom
Police went to Lewis' apartment early Tuesday morning to arrest him on multiple warrants. Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant said officers detained two people after they opened the door to the apartment, attempted to get Lewis to leave his bedroom and sent a canine inside to locate him.
Video released by the city Tuesday shows Anderson, a 30-year police veteran assigned to the canine unit, draw his weapon before opening the bedroom door. An officer yells, "Hands!" and shines a light on Lewis as he sits up in bed. Anderson fires a single shot almost immediately.
Bryant said Lewis had what appeared to be a vape pen in his hand during the shooting, which can be seen on the bed next to him. Officers continue to yell commands and handcuff Lewis before carrying him outside and rendering medical aid before paramedics arrive.
Donovan Lewis' family: Shooting was not justified
Rex Elliott, an attorney for Lewis' family, said Thursday that Lewis was following commands during the shooting and called Anderson's actions "excessive, deadly force."
Elliott said the family wants to see Anderson held accountable.
"They want this police officer punished ..." he said. "We anticipate filing an action against the police officer that engaged in this reckless conduct.”
Meanwhile, Lewis' family called for peaceful protests.
"Rest assured, we will get justice for Donovan and do everything in our power to stop these senseless killings," the family said in a statement Wednesday. "There cannot be one more young Black life taken this way."
Parents say Lewis had a 'kind heart' at protest
Donovan Lewis' parents spoke for the first time publicly on Friday about their son since his death as demonstrators gathered outside the Columbus Division of Police headquarters.
"He was so sweet and so kind even when someone disrespected him and there was a situation," said Daryl Lewis, Donovan's father. "He was so forgiving he would forget about it and still come to you and show you love."
"He loved music," said Lewis' mother, Rebecca Duran, through tears. "He loved to sing. He loved sports. He wanted to be loved and he loved people unconditionally. He had so many friends from so many different walks of life. He's so much more than what they want him to look like."
Funeral and autopsy report coming
Lewis' funeral will be held next weekend at the Marlan J. Gary Funeral Home Chapel of Peace.
The Franklin County Coroner's office said it has released Lewis' body, but the autopsy report is not available and won't be for a while. Coroner Dr. Anahi Ortiz said her office is taking 10 to 16 weeks on average to complete autopsy reports, but a preliminary report may be available sooner in some cases.
Community, leaders react to shooting
After the video was released, community leaders and organizations pressed for a transparent investigation and planned events.
►Urban League President Stephanie Hightower said the shooting — the third in eight days involving a Columbus police officer — showed the reasons why the community demanded a civilian review board and inspector general in 2020.
"We understand that serving a felony warrant creates a highly volatile and dangerous situation," Hightower said. "And yet, the body camera video is as gut-wrenching as is the fact that another Black man lost his life."
►U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty, a Democrat representing Ohio, said the officer did not properly assess the situation before using deadly force.
►Sen. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat, said Lewis' death shows the need for continued law enforcement reform.
"It is law enforcement's job to protect and serve their communities. This is not the reality Black and brown people face every day — not when young men like Donovan can be killed in their beds," Brown said.
Shootings, police practices under investigation
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting of Lewis and another incident in which one person with a gun was wounded by an officer as he fled. Meanwhile the U.S. Justice Department is reviewing the department's practices more broadly after a series of fatal police shootings of Black people and criticism of the city’s response to 2020 racial injustice protests.
On Tuesday, Chief Bryant and Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther promised transparency in the investigations into all three recent shootings involving Columbus and urged the public to await the findings.
Officers are rarely charged or convicted even in high profile cases of police violence and often cite their training as a defense against excessive force allegations.
Brian Higgins, an adjunct professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York and an expert in police canine operations, said that the body camera footage showed sound tactics by Anderson.
"It seems as if he did everything in accordance with standard best practices today," Higgins said.
USA TODAY reporter Ashley Williams and The Columbus Dispatch reporter Jordan Laird contributed.
Contact Breaking News Reporter N'dea Yancey-Bragg at nyanceybra@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @NdeaYanceyBragg
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donovan Lewis shooting: Weekend protests planned in Columbus
