Coroner identifies Columbus man killed in weekend shooting

A Columbus man was shot and killed late Saturday, authorities said early Sunday morning.

Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan identified the victim as Joseph Patrick Kelly.

Kelly died from multiple wounds after he was shot around 11 p.m. on a front porch on Cantrell Drive, the coroner said. Cantrell Drive is off Victory Drive in the Benning Hills area.

Kelly was pronounced dead at 11:39 p.m., Bryan said. Columbus police said he died en route to the hospital.

Police in a news release Sunday afternoon said homicide investigators had interviewed witnesses at the Columbus Public Safety Center, but had filed no charges. Anyone with information on the shooting was asked to contact Sgt. Thomas Hill at 706-225-4345 or the homicide unit at 706-225-3161.

Police said Kelly was 31 years old. Bryan said the body will be sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime lab for an autopsy.

The fatal shooting marks Columbus’ 37th homicide so far this year, according to Ledger-Enquirer records.

This story was originally published October 23, 2022 at 9:36 AM.

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.