COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Division of Police is investigating if three homicides within the last two days are connected.
Early Sunday morning, 18-year-old Da'Mya Cummerlander was shot and killed at what her family says was a graduation party. Friends and family held a vigil for Cummerlander Monday evening at Krumm Park. Just before 10 p.m., police responded to reports of shots fired at the same park and found two people fatally shot near the entrance. Investigators believe there were multiple shooters.
Detectives are working to determine if the two shootings are connected.
“The violence last night just compounds that trauma and all the heartache the families and the victims are already going through. It is very hard,” said Columbus Police Deputy Chief Smith Weir.
A portable Columbus police crime camera was placed at the park last year. Weir says while it did capture some of the shooting, they still need more video. Police said there were about 50 people at the park when officers arrived. Weir said police know there were people recording video at the time of the shooting and are asking for anyone with video to turn it in to police.
"We have gotten some information. We have gotten a lot of tips, we’ve gotten a lot of anonymous tips, a lot of information about what word on the street is, rumors are. It is our detectives' jobs to sift through that and sort through that what’s true and rumor," Weir said.
Police said they are still in the process of identifying the two victims from Monday night's shooting.
Kenneth Hairston was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter in Cummerlander's death, police say.
Anyone with information on either shooting is asked to contact the Columbus Police Homicide Unit at 614-645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477.