COLUMBUS, Ohio — A 21-year-old man was fatally shot during a fight early Sunday morning in the Short North, according to the Columbus Division of Police. It's the latest incident in a disturbing trend of gun violence in the popular neighborhood centered on North High Street, including many shops, restaurants and bars.
Police told 10TV that officers responded to the 900 block of North High Street just before 2:45 a.m. following reports of a fight.
While officers were responding to the scene, they heard multiple gunshots. Police located 21-year-old Arthur Pickens suffering from gunshot wounds. Pickens was taken to the hospital where he later died.
Gabriella Pucci, a woman who moved to the Short North about six months ago, said she woke up around 2:30 a.m. when she heard a noise outside her window on North High Street. Pucci said she saw a crowd of people outside.
"I was kind of like, oh, you know, everything looks fine, I'm just going to go back into my room. And then when I went back there, like not a moment later, I heard the gunshots," Pucci said.
Columbus police confirmed no other injuries resulted from the incident. Officers also confirmed that no arrests have been made.
This follows last weekend's Short North shootings when 10 people were hurt. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation continues to investigate that chaotic incident, which ended with officers firing their weapons.
"At night I don't think I would feel too comfortable coming back to this area. Because I do have the fear now,” one witness said.
“It's just hard when you think about stray bullets and that kind of thing,”
Commander Mark Denner, with the Columbus police homicide bureau, said his officers are also frustrated by this continued violence in the city.
"Frustrating that we are having to do something very similar again. I think that the division of the police, the city, everybody was trying to take steps trying to do everything we could because this is a great area, we want people to be down here, we just need people to make good decisions,” Commander Denner said.
Denner said they’ll continue to do their part to keep people safe and hold criminals accountable.
"Members of the community, the division, we'll continue to work together and try and work on this,” Denner said.
Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein released the following statement in response to the overnight shooting:
“Gun violence is troubling whenever and wherever it happens, but in high traffic and populated areas like the Short North, the threat to public safety is magnified when guns mix with alcohol and large crowds of people and vehicles. While CPD is still investigating all the facts of this incident, what we do know is that something needs to change. We cannot accept gun violence as the norm in the Short North or any Columbus neighborhood.
“The folks I’ve talked to over the past week are rightfully tired of the violence and worried about the future. As city leaders, it’s incumbent upon us to act. The City Attorney’s Office is committed to working with the mayor’s administration, Division of Police, judges, Short North leaders, residents, and business owners to implement measures that improve public safety, get violent criminals off the streets all across the city and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. Together, we can address the concerns of all who live, work, visit, and operate a business in the Short North, and right now, everything is on the table.”
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