Columbus police investigate Dawson Street homicide, second in city in less than 24 hours

Columbus police are investigating a homicide that happened late Tuesday morning on Dawson Street, near 28th Avenue, Police Maj. J.D. Hawk said.

Rashard Williams, 32, of Columbus was pronounced dead at 11:35 a.m. in front of 2713 Dawson St., Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan said. Dressed in blue jeans shorts and wearing no shirt, his body lay face down on the street in a pool of blood. He will be transported to the crime lab in Decatur for an autopsy.

Hawk said police were called to the scene about 10:24 a.m. to check on a fight between two men. The victim was found in the roadway and appears to have died of a gunshot.

Detectives were knocking on doors and talking to residents for information. Hawk said there were many witnesses in the area at the time of the fight. “We depend on the witnesses to give us information,” he said.

A man who was in the area to work on a house said he saw the victim in jeans and two girls before the man was followed by a second man as they walked between two houses. While on the path, the man said he heard a gunshot.

Sarah Jackson, Williams’ aunt, came to the scene to help Bryan and police identify the body. “I couldn’t believe it,” she said, standing with her 11-year-old cousin Tylar Jackson.

She last saw Williams about two weeks ago and he was doing fine. After his death, she said something has to be done about gun violence. “It needs to stop,” she said.

Tylar agreed. “I think the gun violence should stop,” he said. “I’m disappointed my cousin is laying on the ground.”

The death was the second fatal shooting in the last 14 hours. A shooting on Hunter Ridge Circle left a man dead and police searching for the gunman, Columbus authorities said . James Richardson Jr. , 36, was pronounced dead of a gunshot wound at 9:56 p.m., inside a home at 6145 Hunter Ridge Circle, said Muscogee County Chief Deputy Coroner Freeman Worley.

This story was originally published July 31, 2018 at 11:45 AM.