Crime

One killed, another wounded in shooting in midtown Columbus, authorities say

One man was fatally shot and another was wounded Thursday evening in Columbus’ midtown area, just four blocks west of Lakebottom Park, authorities said.

Byron Petty, 22, was pronounced dead at 5:43 p.m. at Piedmont Columbus Regional, said Deputy Coroner Charles Newton. Petty died from multiple gunshot wounds, Newton said.

He said another man injured in the shooting was taken by private vehicle to the hospital for treatment.

Police already were on a call near 14th Avenue and 16th Street when they were told someone had been shot around the corner. They found Petty lying in the street, the deputy coroner said. Investigators later learned another man had been shot, he said.

Petty’s death marks Columbus’ second homicide of 2021. The first was Damien Nesbitt, 37, who was found fatally shot around 12:15 a.m. Wednesday in the 600 block of Fifth Avenue, police said.

Columbus had 46 homicides in 2020, the last reported on Dec. 26. That total surpassed a recent peak of 44 in 2017. The city had 41 in 2019 and 34 in 2018.

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Tim Chitwood
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
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.
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