The off-campus apartment complex, located at 70 W. Northwood Ave., where two people were shot April 27. Credit: Amanda Etchison | Editor-in-Chief
Two people are now in stable condition after being rushed to Wexner Medical Center in critical condition as a result of a home-invasion shooting that occurred just off campus Wednesday afternoon at an apartment complex located at 70 W. Northwood Ave., according the Columbus Division of Police.
Dave Sicilian, a first shift homicide supervisor with the Columbus Division of Police, said neither of the victims are Ohio State students.
The suspect is not in custody, according to a Buckeye Alert sent to the university community. He is armed. The suspect is a black male with dreadlocks and glasses. He is approximately 6-foot.
Police and other emergency vehicles on are on the scene.
Sicilian said that although the investigation is ongoing, it is believed that the suspect entered the apartment building, knocked on an apartment door on the second floor, and then opened fire on the victims.
The OSU Emergency Management and Fire Protection’s Twitter account sent out a second tweet, telling the public to “be aware of your surroundings.” The tweet also said the suspect went in an unknown direction. The university, through, another Buckeye Alert, lifted its advisory to seek shelter at just after 2:15 p.m.
Sicilian said that Columbus Police believe the suspect targeted that specific apartment. Because of this, he added that he felt the threat to the neighborhood and the larger OSU community is reduced.
“From my perspective, I think the threat to the rest of the community, especially the immediate community and the OSU campus area … is greatly reduced knowing that it seems the suspect targeted a specific location and may have had specific victims in mind,” he said.
Nieme Banks, a fourth-year in philosophy and African American and African studies who lived in the building, said he felt violent crime is atypical in this particular neighborhood.
Banks said he was in his apartment at 70 W. Northwood during the incident but didn’t hear anything that signaled to him an occurrence of violence in the building.
Sicilian said that although property crime is prevalent in the area, he described the neighborhood as being “very safe,” citing the fact that many students live in the neighborhood.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information is known.
April 27, 3:50 p.m.: This post was updated to reflect the most current information.
Mason Swires contributed to this article.
