COLUMBUS, Ohio — Documents released by the Columbus Division of Police have provided more details on what led up to an officer fatally shooting a man early Tuesday morning in the Hilltop neighborhood.
Questions were raised after the city released body camera video 12 hours after the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Donovan Lewis.
Officers were serving a search warrant at an apartment on Sullivant Avenue, attempting to arrest Lewis for an incident that allegedly happened three weeks ago.
The video shows an officer handling a K9 open the bedroom door and firing one shot, striking Lewis.
The city has promised transparency as the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation conducts its investigation.
The NAACP released a statement on Tuesday calling for BCI to conduct a "thorough, comprehensive and immediate investigation" into the shooting.
The family's attorney, Rex Elliot, said the shooting was "excessive and completely unnecessary" and vowed to get justice for Donovan. The family attorney also called for peaceful support.
Lewis was wanted on a felony warrant for domestic violence, assault and improperly handling of a firearm, according to Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant.
According to records from Franklin County Municipal Court, Lewis' girlfriend told police she was pregnant with his child.
The complaint states that on Aug. 10, the two began to argue at Westgate Park when "Lewis shoved her off the chair she was sitting in, and she then rolled down a small hill."
She ran to a nearby KFC to call police. That's when officers noticed she had a "black mark underneath her right eye."
She told police Lewis punched her in the face three to four days prior to their argument and that "Lewis assaulting her is something that frequently happens."
Records show this is not the first time Lewis has been charged with domestic violence.
In April 2021, a complaint was filed against him for allegedly punching his mother.
According to the complaint, "when the mother wouldn't let him in the house after he took something that wasn't his, he kicked the front door open." His mother told police he began punching her.
In June 2020, another complaint details how Lewis hit another woman "with a closed fist."
When police caught him, "Lewis admitted to striking her with a closed fist" and was placed under arrest for assault.
Records show Lewis was also wanted on a felony charge of improperly handling a firearm in a car.
The president of the Columbus Urban League, Stephanie Hightower, called the body camera footage "gut-wrenching" and is calling for a transparent investigation.
"Mr. Lewis' video, the long version that I saw, was not only disturbing, but it was heartbreaking. Right now, we are all in a position now where it's not about getting angry, it's about how do we stack hands and find solutions and keep this community calm," Hightower said.
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther and Bryant will take questions during a radio forum on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Radio One.