Sexual assault investigation leads to fatal police shooting near Sharon Woods Metro Park – WSYX

Sexual assault investigation leads to fatal police shooting near Sharon Woods Metro Park  WSYX

A man is dead following an officer-involved shooting with Genoa Township police Saturday afternoon near Sharon Woods Metro Park in north Columbus. Authorities confirm no law enforcement officers were injured. According to Genoa Township Police Chief James McMillin, the incident began Saturday afternoon when his department received a call alerting them to sexual assault and that the potential perpetrator had a gun. Officers located who they believed to be the suspect and, due to reports that he was armed, multiple law enforcement agencies assisted in conducting a traffic stop of his vehicle near a park in the Sharon Woods area. Following what McMillin described as a "brief encounter," shots were fired and a person was hit.

The Chief said he believes one Genoa Township police officer fired their weapon and that the person who was shot was later pronounced dead. The officer who fired will be placed on standard administrative leave pending the results of the investigation, according to McMillin. Additionally, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation confirmed Saturday afternoon that it has taken over the investigation into the officer-involved shooting at the request of the Genoa Township Police Department. BCI stated that its investigations and crime scene units responded to the scene. Police said Monday that after events including officers shooting, the man shot himself and died at the