COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Columbus mother is grieving the loss of her son, Joshua Watts, just five months after losing another son.
Officers with the Columbus Division of Police were called to the 300 block of Buffalo Court in the city's south side on Sunday for reports of a shooting. When they arrived, they found 32-year-old Watts inside a vehicle suffering from a gunshot wound.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Court records show that 20-year-old Aaron Beamon is charged with Watts' murder. Homicide detectives recovered a video showing Beamon shooting Watts, according to court records.
Beamon was also shot during the incident. Police say he was also found shot at the scene but is expected to survive.
Now, Watts' family is remembering who he was and the impact that he left behind.
Watts was the oldest of five siblings. His mother said they were a very close family and his entire world was his 13-year-old son, Jeremyiah.
"He was a great father he was a great son he was a great human being,” said his mother Ruth Sims.
"He held our family together, “said Symone Wilson, his youngest sister.
Five months ago, their family lost Byron Wilson to a drug overdose. Sims said Josh took his brother's death hard because he felt like there was something he could’ve done to help him.
"I shouldn't even be in the position where I’m having to bury another son five months after I already did this, I've already been through this,” said Sims.
Sims never thought she would ever have to relive that pain again.
"We all have that person in our life that...you don't expect him to die...and that was Josh for me. Like I never realized...you know, you never really know until they're gone,” said Wilson.
"He is my son," said Sims. "He's not just a statistic, he's not just a number, he is a person."
His family said they will always make sure his son knows he was loved by his father no matter what.
"His son is always going to remember that he was one of the lucky ones that had a father that really did love him, “said Wilson.