Man gunned down in his car marks Columbus’ 42nd homicide of 2020, surpassing 2019 toll

A man gunned down in his car Friday night marks Columbus’ 42nd homicide this year, surpassing the 41 killings recorded in 2019.

Police called to Enoch Drive at 9:53 p.m. found Charles Adam Brazell sitting in his car with multiple gunshot wounds, investigators said. Deputy Coroner Charles Newton pronounced the 44-year-old dead an hour later.

Police believe the shooting occurred around 9:45 p.m.

Witnesses reported the gunshots came from a red Ford F-150 pickup truck, officers said.

Enoch Drive is off Morris Road east of Illges Road, near the Carver Heights neighborhood.

Anyone with information on Brazell’s death is asked to contact Detective William Peterson at 706-225-4391 or wpeterson@columbusga.org.

With a month left to go, Columbus’ homicide total this year is nearing a recent peak of 44 reported in 2017. It had 34 in 2018 and 28 in 2016.

Tim Chitwood

Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

706-571-8508

Tim Chitwood is from Seale, Alabama, and started as a police beat reporter with the Ledger-Enquirer in 1982. He since has covered Columbus’ serial killings and other homicides, following some from the scene of the crime to trial verdicts and ensuing appeals. He also has been a Ledger-Enquirer humor columnist since 1987. He’s a graduate of Auburn University, and started out working for the weekly Phenix Citizen in Phenix City, Ala.