COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two people were injured in a shooting in downtown Columbus on the night of the Fourth of July.
The Columbus Division of Police said officers found two victims, one juvenile and an adult, with gunshot wounds near East Bank Park. Both were described as being in stable condition.
10TV spoke to one woman who was out at East Bank Park with friends Thursday night when she heard gunshots.
“Next thing you know you hear gunshots going off and it was hitting the metal next to us like ricocheting off the metal. Like I thought I was going to get hit, I’m not going to lie,” said the witness.
The woman said she was celebrating the Fourth of July with her friends and never expected to be a firsthand witness to a shooting.
“Yeah, I was terrified because I’ve never personally been in a shootout before. It was just scary to hear the bullets hit right behind you and not to mention two people got shot, so that’s what scared me the most,” she said.
Jeff Mangus works downtown. He said he takes a bus near where the shooting happened and left work about an hour before the shooting took place.
Mangus said he typically feels safe downtown but knows gun violence can happen anywhere.
“It only takes a rotten apple, that’s all it takes,” said Mangus. “We are taking steps [Columbus], but baby steps. You have to basically watch yourselves. I’m not afraid, but if you are then you have to watch."
As for the witness, she said the shooting has changed her perspective on spending time downtown at night.
“After what I went through yesterday, I probably won’t be downtown in the nighttime anymore because of what happened,” she said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Columbus police or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477 (TIPS).