1 killed, 2 wounded in overnight shooting in Columbus, authorities say

One man died at the hospital and two others were treated for wounds after a shooting late Tuesday in Columbus, authorities said.

Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan said Piedmont Columbus Regional doctors pronounced 26-year-old Nekoe Phillips dead at 10:54 p.m. in the emergency room.

Phillips arrived there at 10:39 p.m. by private vehicle, said Bryan, who believes the shooting happened around 10 p.m. near Fort Benning Road and Torch Hill Road.

Bryan said he checked on two others who were being treated for gunshot wounds at the hospital. One appeared to be severely injured, but the other’s wounds were not life-threatening, he said.

Phillips’ death marks the city’s eighth homicide so far this year.

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.