Victim in Columbus Government Center shooting identified as assistant district attorney
A prosecutor died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound Wednesday in his office at the Government Center in downtown Columbus.
Michael Eugene Craig, 60, was found dead in his office in the east wing of the city government complex, said Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan. Deputy Coroner Freeman Worley pronounced Craig dead at 3:05 p.m., Bryan said.
Craig worked in the district attorney’s “Rapid Resolution” program that resolves less serious felonies to preclude court backlogs. It has offices in the east wing.
Muscogee County Sheriff Donna Tompkins said gunfire was reported in the wing around 1:30 p.m. The facility was placed on lockdown for about 90 minutes, Tompkins told reporters at the scene.
“We believed initially we may have had an active shooter in the building, that was our initial response. Later on, we determined that that was not the case,” Tompkins said.
The building and surrounding streets began reopening around 3:30 p.m. but certain areas remain closed inside as a “crime scene investigation,” Tompkins said.
Tompkins’ office has jurisdiction over the Government Center and will handle the death investigation, she said.
Around 2:30 p.m., emergency vehicles, including police cars, sheriff’s vehicles and at least one ambulance, were seen surrounding the building and blocked multiple streets in the area.
Call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 if you or someone you know is in distress. The free, confidential service is available 24/7.
This story was originally published October 14, 2020 at 3:40 PM.