COLUMBUS, Ohio — Three people, including two children, were fatally shot in Columbus on Tuesday, police said.
The victims are identified as 22-year-old Charles Wade, 9-year-old Demitrius Wall’neal, and 6-year-old Londynn Wall’neal.
Police were called to 6652 Kodiak Drive on the city’s southeast side around 6:15 p.m. for a report of shots fired.
Responding officers found the victims seated in a vehicle, parked in the lot of an apartment complex. They were pronounced dead at 6:45 p.m.
Police say as the victims were seated in the car, two armed suspects approached and “began firing at the victim’s vehicle without any apparent warning or provocation.”
Following the shooting, both suspects got into a waiting vehicle, which was driven by a third suspect, and fled the scene.
“All of the evidence that we have at the scene indicates that this is not a random act. It does appear to be a targeted assassination. There’s no other way to say it. The evidence we have at the scene absolutely indicates this was a targeted assassination, ” Columbus Police Det. Terry Kelley said.
Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant said, “This was not a random act of violence. This was a targeted act of violence. This should never have happened. A mother should be preparing to wrap Christmas presents for her child, but instead, she has to figure out how she is going to bury her children. I’m going to say this one more time, this was not a random act of violence. Someone knows something. The violence we’re experiencing in our city right now, it should touch the core of each and every one of us. Each and every one of us should feel this violence.”
Columbus Police Assistant Chief LaShanna Potts said, “There is a mother now who will have to go on in her life with two young babies that she no longer gets to raise. They are young. They are babies. They deserve to be here. This is unacceptable.”
“There’s nothing I can say to this family that’s going to bring them closure other than whoever you are, we will find out who you are and we will hunt you down until we get you,” said Potts.
The Canal Winchester School District confirmed to ABC6/FOX28 that the two children were students there:
It is with a great deal of sadness that we inform our school community of an awful event. Tuesday evening two of our students died tragically, Demetrius Wall-Neal (Grade 4) and his sister Londynn Wall-Neal (Kindergarten). We are shocked and heartbroken, please hold the family in your thoughts during this unimaginable time. Counselors are available in all of the school buildings, to support students and staff and address anyone who may need assistance related to this event.
Please feel free to call your student’s building if you have any concerns or questions regarding your child. When we have more information to release we will do so. Thank you for your support of our students and staff as we work together through this tragedy.
There is no known motive for the crime.
This is a breaking news story.
