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Arrest warrant issued for suspect in deadly nightclub shooting in downtown Columbus

The shooting happened around 1:45 a.m. on Friday. Officers responded to Avalon on North 5th Street after they received multiple calls about shots being fired.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — An arrest warrant has been issued for a man in connection to a deadly shooting at a nightclub in downtown Columbus Friday morning, according to police.

The Columbus Division of Police says warrants were filed against 26-year-old Jaquez Hoover based on information obtained following the release of surveillance video. Hoover is charged with two counts of murder and remains at large.

The shooting happened around 1:45 a.m. on Friday. Officers responded to Avalon on North 5th Street after they received multiple calls about shots being fired.

When officers arrived, they found that four people had been shot. Two of those, 27-year-old Desmond Taylor and 36-year-old Ceilin Smith, died from gunshot wounds, police say.

Taylor was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:58 a.m. Smith was taken to Grant Medical Center in critical condition and later died at 2:45 a.m.

Both were working security at the nightclub at the time of the shooting.

Assistant Chief of Police Greg Bodker said a third shooting victim was taken to Grant Medical Center in critical condition and their condition has since improved. A fourth shooting victim was taken to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center for treatment. Police said they're both expected to survive their injuries.

Bodker said preliminary indications led detectives to believe that the shooting stemmed from an altercation inside the nightclub.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Columbus Police Homicide Unit at 614-645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS (8477).

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