COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein said street takeovers are becoming a public nuisance and his office is working with law enforcement to crack down on the incidents.
The Columbus Division of Police said four people were shot and a total of seven people were hospitalized after a party turned into what Klein described as a street takeover on Monday near Canal Winchester.
"It jeopardizes public safety. It may seem like a joyride or a simple acitivity until someone truly gets killed," Klein said.
Columbus police and the Franklin County Sheriff's Office are using drones and helicopters to identify those involved.
"We don't offer any pleas. Whatever they're charged with, they will have to pay 100% of the fines and accept 100% of the penalties and until they do so, we will take their vehicle and we will seize it as evidence," Klein said.
Residents near Monday's incident said the street takeover on Pintail Creek Drive led to hundreds of teenagers invading a block party, blocking exits and doing donuts in the parking lot.
“You could hear the kids partying, having fun and then all of a sudden it was like quiet and then boom, you heard everybody screaming and yelling and running and gunshots after gunshots after gunshots," said a woman who lives in the neighborhood but wishes to remain anonymous for safety reasons.
Monday's incident comes weeks after Columbus police officers were shot at while responding to a street takeover on Indianola Avenue on April 29. Police said 16 suspects were involved in overrunning a gas station on Johnstown Road about an hour later.
The Meadows Apartments, the complex where Monday's incident happened said it is implementing special duty Columbus police officers in the coming weeks.