Gunfire at Ohio vigil for homicide victim kills 1, hurts 5

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (AP) — A drive-by shooting at memorial vigil for an earlier homicide victim killed a passing motorist and wounded five people in the crowd, including a 12-year-old child, police said.

Columbus detectives said a small group had gathered at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Truro Township lot southeast of the city to mark one year since another person was killed at the same location. At about 7:30 p.m. Saturday, police said, a dark-colored sport utility vehicle drove past and someone opened fire, hitting five people.

In addition, Latoya Carpenter, 39, who was driving past the location was struck in the head by gunfire and crashed into a parked car in an apartment building parking lot next door, police said. Carpenter was pronounced dead at the scene, they said.

All of the victims at the vigil who were hit were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Mayor Andrew Ginther posted a message on Twitter decrying the violence.

“Enough! Put down the guns,” Ginther said. “We must come together to end the violence that is tearing our community apart. Share what you know with police to get dangerous criminals off the street.”

Police said no suspects were in custody and asked anyone with information to contact the Franklin County sheriff’s office, which is heading the investigation.

The vigil was being held to commemorate the April 2020 death of Jarrin Hickman, 28, which according to court records occurred after a drug deal involving marijuana went bad, the Columbus Dispatch reported. Another man was arrested on a murder charge in that case.

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This story has been corrected to note that the location is southeast of the city rather than on the city’s southeast side.