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One dead in shooting at Easton Town Center
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — One person is dead and Easton Town Center was locked down after a shooting Sunday evening. According to a Columbus police dispatcher, the initial call for the incident…
fox8.com
One dead in shooting at Easton Town Center
by: Daniel Griffin
Posted: Aug 27, 2023 / 07:16 PM EDT
Updated: Aug 27, 2023 / 11:16 PM EDT
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — One person is dead and Easton Town Center was locked down after a shooting Sunday evening.
According to a Columbus police dispatcher, the initial call for the incident was received at approximately 6:14 p.m., with the caller saying they were calling from near the Lululemon store.
Within one minute of the call, the victim was found near Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams on Grammercy Street by an officer working special duty at the center, Columbus Police Sgt. Joe Albert said. The officer rendered aid to the victim, but the victim was pronounced dead at 6:50 p.m. at Mount Carmel East hospital.
Police believe the victim to be a juvenile male, but did not have that information confirmed as of Sunday night.
Albert said law enforcement officers immediately locked down the area and began investigating near where the victim was found, and also escorted shoppers and employees from the area safely.
“Early indication is this is an isolated incident,” Albert said. “This does not appear to be an active shooter situation. This was an isolated incident in front of the mall.”
Initial reports of a second victim were not true, Columbus Police Deputy Chief Greg Bodker said.
During a press conference Sunday night, Bodker said a number of people, including “a number” of juveniles, were detained in connection with the shooting but did not know of any arrests.
“There were a lot of children at Easton today, and there were a lot of adults at Easton today,” Bodker said.
“These (juveniles) are people who should not have guns in the first place and so if you are under 18 and you’re carrying a firearm, you’re doing it illegally.”
NBC4’s Cierra Johnson, who was at the scene when the incident started, said she was evacuated from the AMC Theater by officers carrying rifles.
Also at the scene, NBC4 Today anchor Matt Barnes said the entire town center was being evacuated, with lots of people running without being told what was happening. He said he heard a Columbus police helicopter flying overhead and that crime scene tape was set up near the LEGOLAND store.
A statement from Easton Town Center management said as of 7:39 p.m. that the situation was “no longer an active situation.”
“A weapon was fired at Easton at an outside area of the North District at approximately 6:15 p.m.,” the statement read. “At this time, Columbus Police are on site.”
Columbus police were assisted at the scene by Gahanna Police, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Columbus police are asking anyone who may have any information on the shooting to call police at 614-645-4545 or, to remain anonymous, Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-645-4749.