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‘Shootout’ led to Franklin County SWAT shooting warrant suspect

Harry November 1, 2024

A man is in critical condition after at least one Franklin County Sheriff’s deputy shot him while trying to serve an arrest warrant at a construction site in Gahanna Wednesday morning.

Franklin County SWAT officers were attempting to obtain a warrant for the arrest of a male on multiple misdemeanors when the shooting occurred at a construction site near 825 Tech Center Drive in Gahanna, Rick Minerd, chief deputy in charge of investigations for the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, said Wednesday afternoon. .

Minerd said the arrest warrants were out of Frankly County, but he said he couldn’t say what the warrants were for and had few new details to share at a media briefing at the scene Wednesday afternoon.

Minerd said sheriff’s SWAT deputies attempted to serve the order at the new site, which was planned for around 11 a.m. Gahanna Municipal Complex A “shootout” broke out on Tech Center Drive off Morrison Road, leading to at least one deputy shooting the suspect.

The unidentified suspect was taken to Mount Carmel East Hospital in critical condition, Minerd said. It was stated that no MP was injured in the fire.

But Minerd could not specify what actions the suspect took or how many deputies fired their weapons that led to one or more deputies shooting the suspect, citing the ongoing investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Minerd said a firearm belonging to the suspect was seized at the scene.

BCI was on scene Wednesday afternoon investigating the shooting, which is protocol for any shooting involving a Franklin County sheriff’s deputy.

“These things happen,” Minerd said. “We never go to work expecting these things to happen.”

Minerd emphasized that deputies should make an “instant decision” about shooting the suspect, stating that the information indicates that the suspect poses a threat to the public.

Capital City Lodge No. Brian Steel, president of the Fraternal Order of the 9th, praised the actions of Franklin County deputies in the incident.

Drawing attention to the dangers that deputies may face in these situations, Steel said, “These deputies went there and did a great job, they did their duty.” he said. “They’re going to their families.”

With the exception of possible eyewitnesses, all construction workers at the scene were sent home the day after the attack.

The city of Gahanna purchased a building in the tech park area in 2022 and renovations are currently ongoing. Once the work is completed, the building will house the city hall, police and the Gahanna Senior Center.

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