As record homicides continue, Ginther announces plans to allocate $660M on public safety

 

A little more than 24 hours after Columbus tied the homicide record it set in 2020, Mayor Andrew J. Ginther unveiled his $660 million spending plan for the Department of Public Safety in his proposed 2022 operating budget.

 

The proposal will provide funds for three new recruit classes — which will add 170 new police officers and 125 new firefighters in an effort to keep staffing from retirements and other departures at current levels — as well as officer wellness and retirement incentive programs.  The budget will also invest heavily in community and neighborhood services, including youth programs and mental health inventions.

 

MORE:  https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2021/11/09/total-660-million-2022-columbus-budget-go-public-safety/6353955001/

^Imagine what Columbus could do if it wasn't spending 64% of its budget on this.

On 10/7/2021 at 10:23 AM, Columbo said:

Report claims 17 gangs with about 480 members behind nearly half of Columbus 2020 homicides

 

A report conducted by a national research center concluded that a significantly small group of violent actors in Columbus were behind nearly half the city's homicides that occurred in a nine-month period in 2020, the city's deadliest year on record.

 

A team of six researchers at the National Network for Safe Communities worked with the Columbus Division of Police to review 107 homicides between January and September 2020 and identify active gangs — referred to in the report sometimes as “groups" because the researchers said there was not evidence in some cases of the organization of a gang as much as an association of like-minded members.

 

Among the report’s most significant findings is that 17 gangs comprised of an estimated 480 total members — roughly .05% of the city’s population — were confirmed to be or suspected to be involved in 46% of homicides in that period, either as victims, perpetrators or both.

 

MORE:  https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2021/10/06/report-many-columbus-homicides-involve-gang-group-members/6009299001/

 

Some more information about the city's record-tying 175th homicide backs up this report.  The victim was shot outside the main entrance of the Target store near Easton Town Center at about 11:30 a.m.  The 21-year-old victim, whom police say has an Atlanta home address but a driver's license from California, was waiting outside the main entrance when he was shot twice at close range.  There was no altercation or disturbance before the gunfire and the shooting was believed to be gang-related:

 

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2021/11/11/columbus-police-identify-victim-shooting-northeast-side-target/6384420001/

For second consecutive year, Columbus sets new record for homicides.  Last week the 176th homicide was reported in Columbus this year, surpassing the calendar-year record of 175 homicides for 2020:

 

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2021/11/22/second-consecutive-year-columbus-has-record-number-homicides/5988319001/

Former deputy Jason Meade indicted on murder charges in death of Casey Goodson Jr.

 

Former Franklin County Sheriff's SWAT deputy Jason Meade was indicted Thursday in the death of 23-year-old Casey Goodson Jr., who was shot in the back multiple times outside his home in the Northland neighborhood nearly one year ago.  The indictment, issued by a Franklin County grand jury, charges Meade, 44, with two counts of murder and one count of reckless homicide.

 

Saturday will mark the one-year anniversary of the shooting, which occurred on the 3900 block of Estates Place, where Goodson lived with his grandmother.  It happened just after Meade wrapped up work with a U.S. Marshals Service fugitive task force in an unsuccessful search for a suspect in the area. ... Meade, a 17-year veteran of the sheriff's office, left the sheriff's office July 2 on disability retirement.

 

Very little information has been released by investigators about the shooting, for which there are no known eyewitnesses and no video.  Meade was not wearing a body camera, a piece of equipment that Franklin County deputies did not and still don't have.

 

MORE:  https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/courts/2021/12/02/franklin-county-grand-jury-indicts-former-deputy-meade-murder-charges/8753685002/

 

 

Shout-out to everyone who bought the "crime is raging" narrative and then spread it without evidence.

8 minutes ago, DarkandStormy said:

 

 

Shout-out to everyone who bought the "crime is raging" narrative and then spread it without evidence.

 

The "crime is raging" narrative is with respect to the city as a whole, not just downtown. The Dispatch article (according to the headline, I refuse to pay for their inferior product) is talking just about downtown, and I presume Keith is as well. The fact is, homicide numbers are at record levels and have eclipsed last year's record levels. Set record homicide numbers two years in a row certainly indicates crime to be "raging" when compared to just 3-4 years ago.

 

Theft is also at absolutely insane levels in certain parts of the city. I work in the retail industry, and shrink (mainly driven by theft) in many of the historically low shrink areas of Columbus at levels only the worst stores in our nationwide chain used to reach. I also think the reported/recorded commercial theft totals are significantly under counted because CPD have essentially told retailers they can't respond to general theft calls. As a result, thefts don't get called in, meaning they don't get reported. 

15 minutes ago, cbussoccer said:

 

The "crime is raging" narrative is with respect to the city as a whole, not just downtown. The Dispatch article (according to the headline, I refuse to pay for their inferior product) is talking just about downtown, and I presume Keith is as well. The fact is, homicide numbers are at record levels and have eclipsed last year's record levels. Set record homicide numbers two years in a row certainly indicates crime to be "raging" when compared to just 3-4 years ago.

 

Theft is also at absolutely insane levels in certain parts of the city. I work in the retail industry, and shrink (mainly driven by theft) in many of the historically low shrink areas of Columbus at levels only the worst stores in our nationwide chain used to reach. I also think the reported/recorded commercial theft totals are significantly under counted because CPD have essentially told retailers they can't respond to general theft calls. As a result, thefts don't get called in, meaning they don't get reported. 

 

Columbus crime rates are still nowhere near what they were in the 1980s and 1990s and even most of the 2000s.   People assume that a few bad murder years makes the city more dangerous overall, but it's not.  It's still far safer than in previous decades.  That includes things like theft, which is roughly 50% lower than it was in the 1990s, even with a recent uptick.  And I'm not just talking rates, but totals.  And when you consider that most murders are not random and happen between people that directly know each other, it means the risk to the average citizen is not substantially higher than it is when murders are low.  As far as murder situation itself, the 2021 rate is still slightly below that of 1991 despite a higher total.  Due to population growth, Columbus would need to hit at least 200 or more to truly be the worst year.  December has seen 10 murders in 20 days. It would need at least 9 more in the final 11 to beat 1991. Certainly possible, but time is running out. 

Some other good news is that a 3rd record year is probably unlikely.  These things tend to escalate very quickly, but then collapse again after reaching peaks.  1990 was a record at the time, but then 1991 was next level worse.  1992, however, fell significantly and led to a multi-year decline.  Assuming Covid dies down some next year, among other issues, I doubt Columbus sees another year like this and crime overall may resume the overall 30+ year trend.

Edited December 20, 20213 yr by jonoh81

5 minutes ago, jonoh81 said:

 

Columbus crime rates are still nowhere near what they were in the 1980s and 1990s and even most of the 2000s.   People assume that a few bad murder years makes the city more dangerous overall, but it's not.  It's still far safer than in previous decades.  This is especially true when you consider that most murders are not random and happen between people that directly know each other, which means the risk to the average citizen is not substantially higher than it is when murders are low.  And as far as murder itself, the 2021 rate is still slightly below that of 1991 despite a higher total.  Due to population growth, Columbus would need to hit at least 200 or more to truly be the worst year.  Certainly possible, but time is running out. 

Some other good news is that a 3rd record year is probably unlikely.  These things tend to escalate very quickly, but then collapse again after reaching peaks.  1990 was a record at the time, but then 1991 was next level worse.  1992, however, fell significantly and led to a multi-year decline.  Assuming Covid dies down some next year, among other issues, I doubt Columbus sees another year like this and crime overall may resume the overall 30+ year trend.

 

104 homicides in 2019. 193 homicides so far this year, as of yesterday. That's a big problem. Who cares what various crime rates were 35-40 years ago? That's not relevant with what should be expected now. Sure, this could be a blip on the radar and things might subside last year, but that's not a chance you take when the amount of people killed by other people in your city has nearly doubled in just two years.

 

 

 

52 minutes ago, cbussoccer said:

 

104 homicides in 2019. 193 homicides so far this year, as of yesterday. That's a big problem. Who cares what various crime rates were 35-40 years ago? That's not relevant with what should be expected now. Sure, this could be a blip on the radar and things might subside last year, but that's not a chance you take when the amount of people killed by other people in your city has nearly doubled in just two years.

 

 

 

Yea, there is some major data cherry picking in both of their posts

If the drug business is like any other business with supply issues it's no wonder users and dealers are shooting at each other. "I know he's holding out on me."

3 hours ago, cbussoccer said:

 

104 homicides in 2019. 193 homicides so far this year, as of yesterday. That's a big problem. Who cares what various crime rates were 35-40 years ago? That's not relevant with what should be expected now. Sure, this could be a blip on the radar and things might subside last year, but that's not a chance you take when the amount of people killed by other people in your city has nearly doubled in just two years.

 

 

 

Maybe more guns on the streets will help?

4 hours ago, GCrites80s said:

If the drug business is like any other business with supply issues it's no wonder users and dealers are shooting at each other. "I know he's holding out on me."

 

I wonder if they're having staffing issues like other businesses(!)

On 12/20/2021 at 11:53 AM, jonoh81 said:

Due to population growth, Columbus would need to hit at least 200 or more to truly be the worst year.

 

Columbus is now up to 196 homicides for the year. A homicide has occurred every day so far this week.

 

https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/columbus-shooting-solera-drive-12-23-2021

On 12/23/2021 at 8:12 AM, cbussoccer said:

 

Columbus is now up to 196 homicides for the year. A homicide has occurred every day so far this week.

 

https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/columbus-shooting-solera-drive-12-23-2021

…aaaaand we made it to 200…

 

https://www.10tv.com/mobile/article/news/local/police-columbus-mans-death-in-march-now-ruled-a-homicide/530-daba9e40-f2b0-4943-be13-27f88a82daf3

So we actually ended 2021 with 204 homicides, 49 of which were victims under the age of 21. The 204 homicides is a 91% increase in just two years. The good news is, the rate of homicides slowed a bit from August through the end of the year so hopefully that trend continues. CPD is increasing the number of the officers in the department and working on strategies to help quell the drastic increase in violence.

 

https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/columbus-police-to-look-at-new-ways-to-stop-the-yearly-spike-in-deadly-violence

 

Prosecutors seek to dismiss some murder counts against former Dr. William Husel

 

Less than three weeks before the start of jury selection for former doctor William Husel's murder trial, Franklin County prosecutors appear poised to dismiss some of the 25 murder counts against the former Mount Carmel intensive-care physician.

 

County Common Pleas Judge Michael J. Holbrook said he emailed prosecutors and defense attorneys about the the need for a hearing if the prosecution intended to dismiss some counts before Husel's trial scheduled next month.  His email was sent in response to media inquiries about whether prosecutors intended to dismiss about half the charges in an effort to focus on the deaths for which the evidence is strongest.

 

"I informed the parties that it was my opinion that if the prosecution plans to do that, a hearing would be necessary under Marsy's Law (a victims-rights amendment approved by Ohio voters in 2017) to let family members of victims be heard," Holbrook said.

 

Husel, 46, is accused of intentionally killing 25 intensive-care patients at two Mount Carmel Health hospitals from February 2015 through November 2018 by prescribing each of them at least 500 micrograms of fentanyl, a powerful opioid.

 

MORE:  https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/courts/2022/01/14/dr-william-husel-prosecutors-look-reduce-murder-counts-before-former-doctors-trial/6527322001/

A Franklin County judge on Thursday approved a request by county prosecutors to drop 11 of 25 murder counts against former intensive-care physician William Husel in an effort to streamline the case against a man accused of purposely killing critically ill patients with overdoses of the powerful opioid fentanyl at Mount Carmel Health hospitals:

 

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/courts/2022/01/20/nearly-half-murder-counts-against-former-doctor-husel-dismissed/6584402001/

https://allcolumbusdata.com/columbus-crime-statistics/

 

2020 data is out fully finally.  Columbus saw a relatively modest increase in violent crime during the year, almost entirely due to murders and assaults, but the year remained below almost all of those of decades past.

Property crime was universally down, which somewhat defies expectations given the protests and assumptions about all the property crime taking place.  

2021 should be interesting with the record murder year.  I wonder if, like 2020, it doesn't really translate much to overall crime rates beyond that category.  

^Murders were up all over the country in 2020.

What is going on with the parking garage (?) that's not been completed at Setlzer Road and Easton Loop? I realized on my last visit that nothing has happened with that site in several years.

 

--

 

Relating to the shooting at Easton yesterday, I always kind of wondered when the area would start to get hit with gang and serious criminal violence. It was a novel development at its time but at the edge of some not-so-great neighborhoods. I always theorized Easton would start to decline once Eastland and Northland closed and while the mixed-use shopping center is still doing pretty well, it's can't hedge its bets that it will always be one of the dominant shopping centers in the area. It needs to expand with more residences in its core to diversify its offerings. And with the massive new mixed-use development proposed for the Intel plant area, some of these shops could very well move further out to an area that's completely unserved by transit and well far the declining areas of Columbus.

It was a 13 year old shooting 13 year olds.  It's not exactly "gang and serious criminal violence."  If that were the case, most malls in the 90's would've closed...in the 90's.

39 minutes ago, seicer said:

What is going on with the parking garage (?) that's not been completed at Setlzer Road and Easton Loop? I realized on my last visit that nothing has happened with that site in several years.

 

--

 

Relating to the shooting at Easton yesterday, I always kind of wondered when the area would start to get hit with gang and serious criminal violence. It was a novel development at its time but at the edge of some not-so-great neighborhoods. I always theorized Easton would start to decline once Eastland and Northland closed and while the mixed-use shopping center is still doing pretty well, it's can't hedge its bets that it will always be one of the dominant shopping centers in the area. It needs to expand with more residences in its core to diversify its offerings. And with the massive new mixed-use development proposed for the Intel plant area, some of these shops could very well move further out to an area that's completely unserved by transit and well far the declining areas of Columbus.

 

There aren't many declining areas of Columbus anymore except Eastland. The city has so much momentum that parts of town I thought were lost for good such as Brice Road are seeing re-investment.

37 minutes ago, ColDayMan said:

It was a 13 year old shooting 13 year olds.  It's not exactly "gang and serious criminal violence."

 

13 year olds shooting each other makes it even more likely to be gang related. 13 year olds aren't shooting each other in public areas like Easton unless they are in the process of being initiated into gangs. Criminal organizations will often create a culture where new young members are encouraged to perform wild criminal/violent acts to prove they are fully committed to the group. 

16 minutes ago, cbussoccer said:

 

13 year olds shooting each other makes it even more likely to be gang related. 13 year olds aren't shooting each other in public areas like Easton unless they are in the process of being initiated into gangs. Criminal organizations will often create a culture where new young members are encouraged to perform wild criminal/violent acts to prove they are fully committed to the group. 

That's just sad...

50 minutes ago, cbussoccer said:

 

13 year olds shooting each other makes it even more likely to be gang related. 13 year olds aren't shooting each other in public areas like Easton unless they are in the process of being initiated into gangs. Criminal organizations will often create a culture where new young members are encouraged to perform wild criminal/violent acts to prove they are fully committed to the group. 

 

Or, they stole their girl and got mad and shot someone.  We don't know the motive yet so I wouldn't exactly pin this on gang-initiation. 

57 minutes ago, GCrites said:

 

There aren't many declining areas of Columbus anymore except Eastland. The city has so much momentum that parts of town I thought were lost for good such as Brice Road are seeing re-investment.

 

Which is why I really wish the city would hurry up on the new zoning standards. We really need a better framework in place for all the redevelopment that's going to happen over the next several years. Too many missed opportunities already.

9 minutes ago, ColDayMan said:

 

Or, they stole their girl and got mad and shot someone.  We don't know the motive yet so I wouldn't exactly pin this on gang-initiation. 

 

I mean, this is what happens in a society and culture which so consistently puts guns over human lives at all costs. We've reached peak gun and now we're reaping the results. Every conflict, however minor, now gets solved with them.

Edited August 28, 20231 yr by jonoh81

Unfortunately, I think Easton needs to treat this stuff really seriously or you'll see momentum shift away (ironically probably to the east). They were quick to call this an isolated incident, but this is definitely the kind of thing that makes people think twice about heading somewhere. What was it in January they had that huge brawl.  How many isolated incidents before the general view of a place changes? People don't go to Easton because they have to. 

18 minutes ago, ColDayMan said:

 

Or, they stole their girl and got mad and shot someone.  We don't know the motive yet so I wouldn't exactly pin this on gang-initiation. 

 

Multiple firearms were recovered from the scene in area that has been dealing with gang activity for a while now. That indicates gang activity, not a 13 year old grabbing his parent's gun, going to Easton, and shooting the kid that stole his girl. 

 

7 minutes ago, jonoh81 said:

Every conflict, however minor, now gets solved with them.

 

What fantasy world do you live in where this is even remotely accurate?

8 minutes ago, 17thState said:

Unfortunately, I think Easton needs to treat this stuff really seriously or you'll see momentum shift away (ironically probably to the east). They were quick to call this an isolated incident, but this is definitely the kind of thing that makes people think twice about heading somewhere. What was it in January they had that huge brawl.  How many isolated incidents before the general view of a place changes? People don't go to Easton because they have to. 

 

Take a look at Beechwood Mall in Cleveland as an example of what could happen. Legacy Village sapped some of its energy and Pinecrest is taking more of it. But it was the little incidents that began piling up that really hurt it's image - the numerous shootings, drug-dealings, and the mobs. At least they go after shoplifters. It's still got a healthy occupancy rate but it just takes one major tenant to leave to change everything. And while crime happens everywhere, the frequency and perception can really damage the reputation of a particular location.

 

Easton isn't declining by any measure but it really has to be careful in how it navigates the next 20 years. History tells us that it is on borrowed time before it will have to reinvent itself. Easton will need to capitalize on more than retail and restaurants to sustain itself. Housing, education, and park space should be a big component of that to bring in a vibrant and diverse population.

It's hard not to bring up the tragedy that occurred yesterday when discussing Easton's overall trajectory and the implications it could have. That being said, the societal issues that made the event a reality should be relegated to another topic/forum.

57 minutes ago, cbussoccer said:

 

What fantasy world do you live in where this is even remotely accurate?

 

It's called a generalization to make a point, not a claim that literally every single disagreement ends in a gunfight. The point is that gun violence is a very common problem and our own policies have made the use of them more likely in all situations. You can't run a country with 300+ million guns in circulation with few to no real regulations and then pretend like the propensity for gun violence is unrelated. The only reason that a 13-year-old has an arsenal is because we have made it easy to get one. 

As others have said, this is not the place to discuss this further, so this will be my last on this angle of it.

Edited August 28, 20231 yr by jonoh81

1 hour ago, cbussoccer said:

 

Multiple firearms were recovered from the scene in area that has been dealing with gang activity for a while now. That indicates gang activity, not a 13 year old grabbing his parent's gun, going to Easton, and shooting the kid that stole his girl. 

 

To quote you...

 

Quote

What fantasy world do you live in where this is even remotely accurate?

 

I'm sorry, I don't walk around Easton and think "boy, the Latin Kings and the Crips really have this place on lock. I'm taking my business to...uhh...Tuttle?"  No, sorry.  I'm going to need receipts in order to show Easton Town Center is in an area of gang activity (and I'm specifically talking Easton, not, say, Northland or something).  The only article on Google I can remotely find that was a gang-related shooting at a mall in Columbus was an incident at City Center Mall in 1994.  

 

I don't disagree with the premise of mall violence could start a negative trajectory for any property but I go by facts, not assumptions, regarding causes of blame for violence.  In this case, having multiple firearms from a rowdy group of kids does not =/= gang activity.  I've lived in the 90's in an impoverished area; trust me, I know what actual gang-activity is and this isn't even near that type of behavior.  If anything (**assumption here**), it seems like a smaller-type of teen flash mob activity in front of a Jeni's that's been the rage on social media for the past couple of years that went, as always, wrong.

30 minutes ago, ColDayMan said:

I'm sorry, I don't walk around Easton and think "boy, the Latin Kings and the Crips really have this place on lock. I'm taking my business to...uhh...Tuttle?"  No, sorry. 

 

You are completely misrepresenting what I was saying. You don't drive through the Short North on a Friday night and think "boy, the Crips really have this place on lock", but a lot of the violent crime that occurs in the area is gang-related. You don't drive around New Albany and think "boy, the Latin Kings really have this place on lock", but Kia Boys gang has been stealing cars like crazy in that area for months now. Similarly, much of over-the-top violent crime that occurs in Easton, or downtown, or Campus, etc., is gang-related even if there isn't an obvious visual gang presence. Certainly not violent crime is directly related to gangs, but a lot is.

 

When you add in the fact that this recent incident at Easton involved 13 year olds and multiple firearms were recovered (indicating both 13 year olds were carrying), it becomes very likely that the incident was gang-related. It's incredibly rare for a 13 year old, let alone two 13 year olds, to be carrying firearms around a place like Easton, and also be willing to use those firearms, unless they are already involved in gangs. 

 

41 minutes ago, ColDayMan said:

I'm going to need receipts in order to show Easton Town Center is in an area of gang activity (and I'm specifically talking Easton, not, say, Northland or something).  The only article on Google I can remotely find that was a gang-related shooting at a mall in Columbus was an incident at City Center Mall in 1994.  

 

The media rarely links acts of violent crime to gang activity, so you aren't going to get your "receipts" from ABC6 or 10TV or the Dispatch or whatever it is you deem acceptable. But if you have close connections to investigators in the CPD (I do), and if you have a basic understanding of how gangs operate (I do), it's pretty easy to draw connections on your own or get confirmation directly from the investigators.

 

For example, there are often news reports of drive by shootings that occur during candlelight vigils for young men who were shot and killed. These shootings are obvious gang activity, but the media almost never reports them as such. Heck, most crime goes completely unreported. Cars are stolen from Easton parking lots, credit cards are skimmed, merchandise is stolen, etc., but you don't get news articles written about them and you certainly don't hear the media linking them to gang activity even though they commonly are. 

 

17 minutes ago, cbussoccer said:

You are completely misrepresenting what I was saying. You don't drive through the Short North on a Friday night and think "boy, the Crips really have this place on lock", but a lot of the violent crime that occurs in the area is gang-related. You don't drive around New Albany and think "boy, the Latin Kings really have this place on lock", but Kia Boys gang has been stealing cars like crazy in that area for months now. Similarly, much of over-the-top violent crime that occurs in Easton, or downtown, or Campus, etc., is gang-related even if there isn't an obvious visual gang presence. Certainly not violent crime is directly related to gangs, but a lot is.

 

I'm going to need receipts on how New Albany and the Short North are seeing "gang-activity."  The Kia Boys aren't a "gang."  They are a collection of kids that steal cars.  Gangs are hierarchical bureaucracy, generally have initiation rituals, and capital. Kia Boys are random bunch of morons that have none of those things.

 

20 minutes ago, cbussoccer said:

When you add in the fact that this recent incident at Easton involved 13 year olds and multiple firearms were recovered (indicating both 13 year olds were carrying), it becomes very likely that the incident was gang-related. It's incredibly rare for a 13 year old, let alone two 13 year olds, to be carrying firearms around a place like Easton, and also be willing to use those firearms, unless they are already involved in gangs. 

 

I'm assuming you know there are a billion stories out here of children obtaining guns from anywhere, including parents house or "their friends."  There is a big leap from teens with firearms to "gang activity" without proof, for which even the police say this is an "isolated incident."

 

21 minutes ago, cbussoccer said:

The media rarely links acts of violent crime to gang activity, so you aren't going to get your "receipts" from ABC6 or 10TV or the Dispatch or whatever it is you deem acceptable. But if you have close connections to investigators in the CPD (I do), and if you have a basic understanding of how gangs operate (I do), it's pretty easy to draw connections on your own or get confirmation directly from the investigators.

 

As I stated before, I'm fact-based, not hearsay-based.  As I stated before, I'm well aware of how actual gangs work growing up around them and this incident isn't showing any signs of this, so far.  I'll let the police do their due-diligence in order to find out why his incident occurred but otherwise I'm not going to blame teenagers shooting teenagers at a mall on gang-activity. 

 

24 minutes ago, cbussoccer said:

For example, there are often news reports of drive by shootings that occur during candlelight vigils for young men who were shot and killed. These shootings are obvious gang activity, but the media almost never reports them as such. Heck, most crime goes completely unreported. Cars are stolen from Easton parking lots, credit cards are skimmed, merchandise is stolen, etc., but you don't get news articles written about them and you certainly don't hear the media linking them to gang activity even though they commonly are. 

 

This is...a lot...in a paragraph but candlelight vigils certainly get reported if there are retaliation shootings from gangs.  Any news regarding gangs becomes sensationalized by the media.  As far as that last section, crime happens at malls all the time but it's a stretch to state they are linked to gang-activity unless verified by our law enforcement. 

https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/columbus/columbus-homicide-numbers-see-significant-decrease-in-2024/

 

"The City of Columbus’ homicide numbers are at a seven year low year to date.

 

According to police data, there have been 15 homicides in the city so far this year — that’s less than half of the city’s numbers at this time last year."

21 hours ago, DarkandStormy said:

https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/columbus/columbus-homicide-numbers-see-significant-decrease-in-2024/

 

"The City of Columbus’ homicide numbers are at a seven year low year to date.

 

According to police data, there have been 15 homicides in the city so far this year — that’s less than half of the city’s numbers at this time last year."

But I was assured by every idiot that lives 40 minutes outside of the city that it is a hellscape and if you go anywhere, you will be shot!