CPD sees increase in felonious assaults with guns this year as community calls for change
Following a chaotic scene and shooting Saturday, we've heard city leaders call for increased gun laws and to be able to legislate at a local level. ABC6 Investigates put in a records request for data Monday to the city about all this: Exactly what are they seeing happening on Columbus streets, and what crime trends? May 9, 2023 (WSYX)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Following a chaotic scene and shooting Saturday, we've heard city leaders call for increased gun laws and to be able to legislate at a local level.
ABC 6 Investigates put in a records request for data Monday to the city about all this: Exactly what are they seeing happening on Columbus streets, and what crime trends?
Some in the community think action is an option.
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Law enforcer and gun store owner Eric Delbert would like to see an increased focus on safe storage of guns, holding repeat violent offenders more accountable, and a focus on thefts.
"Making sure that if that firearm is in your vehicle, that it is locked in your vehicle or locked through a lock box," Delbert said. "We cannot continue to make it easy for the bad guys to get firearms and that's what we have done."
He tells ABC6/FOX28 he finds what happened in the Short North sickening.
"Another thing that is really hard to get your arms around is that we know so many of these criminals on the streets are repeat offenders," he said. "Many of them aren't legally able to possess a gun. We haven't gotten serious enough about cracking down on the criminal element."
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We've learned 11 guns were recovered at that Short North scene.
Were they legally or illegally obtained?
ABC 6 Investigates asked the Ohio BCI team if they can share more about what they have learned about those weapons. They said they can't confirm any details while this investigation is still active.
Mom Jene' Partick is busy with her own family and trying to help others. She does violence intervention work and volunteers with Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children after losing some of her own family members to gun violence.
"I think we definitely need stricter gun laws," she said. "I believe that is definitely a thing to do. I believe that is not the only problem we have. I think there are layers of problems that we have, that is why I think it takes a community, teachers, the police officers, everybody. It is a collective effort."
She points to more funding for programs to help kids and families, as she works on her own podcast, wanting to connect with younger people.
"I feel like the more people that get involved the more we have to offer," said Patrick.
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Details about the origins of these guns and the backgrounds of many of the people potentially involved at the Short North scene haven't been released.
The Ohio BCI team said during an investigation like this, any firearms, projectiles and more are submitted to BCI's lab for analysis. The team shared this:
When BCI conducts an officer-involved critical incident investigation, any firearms, cartridge casings and projectiles are collected and submitted to BCI’s laboratory as evidence for forensic analysis. If the firearms are of unknown origin, e-trace is conducted through the ATF. Similarly, fired cartridge cases may be entered into the NIBIN database for further forensic analysis.
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Columbus Police said they have seen an uptick in felonious assaults with guns this year.
We are told they have recovered 1,163 so-called illegal guns, compared to 1,097 last year.
