COLUMBUS, Ohio — An 18-year-old man was shot in what police said appears to be a random shooting in a northeast Columbus park Tuesday night.
According to police, the man was walking through Strawberry Farms Park around 7:10 p.m. to get to work.
The man told police that two people approached him from behind and shot him once in the leg. The man did not know there was anyone behind him before the shooting.
The two people did not have any interaction with him and did not take anything from him either, according to the victim.
The man said he walked back to his home, which is about half a mile away from where he was shot, to call 911.
He was taken to a hospital but is expected to be OK.
Police said the man did not know either of the people.
"It's another one of those cases where, unfortunately, we have another victim of unnecessary violence, specifically gun violence, that has happened here in our city. This young man was just trying to get to work. He was walking to work and minding his own business," Sgt. James Fuqua.
Fuqua added it's important to be cautious of your surroundings while walking alone at night by sticking to well-lit roads, alleys or anywhere that has good lighting.
"Regardless of where you are, and no matter how safe or unsafe you think a neighborhood is, try to always be aware of your surroundings because, unfortunately, people can come out of nowhere and cause you harm," Fuqua said.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Detective Orahood at 614-645-4141 or Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477.
