COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus police have identified the suspect who died after an exchange of gunfire with officers at a south Columbus shopping center on Wednesday.
Austin Huntzinger, 29, died at Grant Medical Center after being shot by police in a parking lot of a shopping plaza off Great Southern Boulevard, near South High Street.
Columbus Police Sgt. Joseph Albert said officers were called to a report of an armed robbery in the plaza. Dispatchers received calls stating that a man with a firearm was robbing a person in the parking lot.
Officers arrived at the scene two minutes after receiving the report. Albert said gunfire was immediately exchanged between multiple officers and the suspect, later identified as Huntzinger. One of the officers and Huntzinger were struck at least once.
Officers rendered aid to the officer and Huntzinger until medics arrived. The two were taken to Grant Medical Hospital.
Huntzinger was in critical condition and pronounced dead at 7:21 a.m. The officer was also in critical condition when he arrived at the hospital, but police said his condition had since improved.
Due to Marsy’s Law, the identities of the officers involved are being withheld. Police released that one of the officers was a 15-year veteran and the other was a 12-year veteran of the division.
Police said multiple firearms were found on the ground at the scene. Albert added that another person was taken into custody for questioning, but they were not involved in the incident.
The Bureau of Criminal Investigations is looking into the incident.