Columbus police say teenage girl killed in possible revenge shooting

Columbus police said Tuesday afternoon that the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old girl may have been in retaliation for the killing of 22-year-old Dominique Devonte Horton near Cusseta Road and 32nd Avenue.

Maj. Gil Slouchick said Destiny Nelson was not involved in the Jan. 5 slaying of Horton. He said police believe Nelson’s death was a case of mistaken identity.

Nelson was shot and killed late Monday night at Bull Creek Apartments. Lt. Greg Touchberry said patrol officers were called to the scene at 11 B Creek Way around 10:40 p.m. When they arrived at the location near Woodruff Farm Road, they found Nelson suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Horton was one of two men shot Jan. 5 in 300 block of 32nd Avenue, where a large group of people gathered to watch two female juveniles fight. The incident escalated when a black man pulled out a gun and fired into the group.

Nelson was dually enrolled at Early College Academy and Columbus State University when she was killed on Monday. Columbus Police Lt. Greg Touchberry said patrol officers were called to the scene at 11 B Creek Way around 10:40 p.m. When they arrived at the location near Woodruff Farm Road, they found Nelson suffering from a gunshot wound.

Nelson was pronounced dead of multiple gunshot wounds at Midtown Medical Center at 11:53 p.m., said Muscogee County Deputy Coroner Charles Newton. Her body will be sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime lab in Atlanta for an autopsy.

This story was originally published January 17, 2017 at 4:38 PM with the headline "Columbus police say teenage girl killed in possible revenge shooting."