Man shot at over 30 times after trying to help woman under attack, Columbus cops say

The 60-year-old man killed in April on Cusseta Road was shot after stopping to help a woman being attacked by three individuals, a Columbus detective testified in Recorder’s Court Wednesday.

Police were called to the 2000 block of Cusseta Road around 4:30 a.m. April 26 in reference to a shooting and vehicle crash with an unresponsive male. Officers found Richard Watson and his vehicle had been shot at multiple times, according to Hayes. Watson died of a gunshot wound to his upper left leg.

One of the individuals police say was involved in the incident is 32-year-old Frankie Walker. He appeared in court on Wednesday facing one charge of murder.

Following the shooting, Columbus police say they interviewed multiple witnesses and obtained surveillance video from businesses in the area.

Hayes testified Watson was traveling down Cusseta Road before 5 a.m. when he saw three men beating and attacking one woman on the street. Witnesses told police that Walker was one of the assailants.

Watson then pulled his car over and attempted to help the woman. Soon after, the three men began firing into and at Watson’s car, according to police testimony.

Watson tried to drive off, but crashed into a telephone pole across the street, Hayes said. The three men approached the vehicle and again fired shots before ultimately leaving the scene.

Police found more than 30 shell casings at the scene and determined they came from two different guns, Hayes testified.

According to Hayes, there are still active warrants for two other individuals.

Walker was arrested outside of his mother’s residence on May 14 and taken into custody.

Outside of the courtroom, Walker’s defense attorney Stacey Jackson outlined the next steps regarding his client.

“Right now, the case will be bound over to Superior Court and hopefully by next week, it’ll be assigned a case number and be assigned a judge,” Jackson said.

One of Watson’s sisters, Mary Watson-Holloway, cried as she spoke outside of the courtroom. Watson was the youngest of 10 siblings, according to Watson-Holloway.

“I’m speechless. It’s horrifying that somebody could do a human being like they did my brother,” Watson-Holloway said. “The circle’s been broken. He was my baby brother. He didn’t have to go this way.”